.A  'J>- 


**^*^.^^ 


.0  A:^  ^^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


// 


^/ 


A^^ 


fy  ^^     /^^   /^% 


^6 


/o 


1.0 


I.I 


US  1^ 
M    12.0 


2.5 
2.2 


L25  i  1.4 


1.6 


Phpfcpaphic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  1 4580 

(716)  872-4503 


^V<^ 


^^  .A  '«* 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


!5V 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

□    Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag6e 

□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelticul^e 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

□    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  n  liure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texto, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  film6es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

r~Y  Pages  damaged/ 
L^    Pages  endommagdes 

PyK  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
L—j    Pages  restauries  et/ou  peilicultes 

r~^Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
II    Pages  ddcolories,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 

□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

r~V1Showthrough/ 
u^   Transparence 

□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualit^  inigale  de  I'impression 

□    Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  matdriel  suppldmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6X6  filmies  6  nouv^au  de  faqon  6 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


n 

to 


Tl 
P< 

01 

fil 


0 
b( 
tf 

si 

O' 

fl 

si 
o 


D 


D 


T 
si 

T 

M 

M 
dl 
•I 
b< 
ri( 
n 
n\ 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

■■"■" 

/ 

n/ 









12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmad  h«r»  has  b««n  rsproducsd  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Archives  of  Ontario 
Toronto 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
possibia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  In  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spaclfieations. 


L'axamplaira  filmA  fut  raproduit  grica  k  la 
ginirositi  da: 

Archives  of  Ontario 
Toronto 

Laa  imagaa  suivantas  ont  At*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plua  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  un 
eonformit*  avac  laa  conditiona  du  contrat  da 
flimaga. 


Original  copiaa  in  printad  papor  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad  or  iilustratad  impraa- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  llluatratad  Impraa^ 
sion.  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  iiluatrated  Impraaaion. 


Tha  i*ijt  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tiha  symbol  —^(moaning  "CON* 
T1NUE0"),  or  tha  symbol  ▼  (moaning  "END"), 
whichavar  appliaa. 


Laa  axamplairaa  origlnaux  dont  la  couvartum  9n 
papiar  aat  imprim4a  sont  flimte  on  commandant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarm^nant  soit  par  la 
damiAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'Impraasion  ou  d'lllustratior.  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  ots.  Tous  laa  autros  axamplairos 
originaux  sont  fllmte  1%  commandant  par  la 
pramlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
dimprasaion  ou  d'Uluatration  at  mn  tarminant  par 
la  darni^ra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  daa  symbolaa  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
damlAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  salon  l« 
cas:  la  symbols  —»•  signifia  "A  SUIVAE",  la 
symbols  V  signifia  TIN". 


Mapa,  plataa,  charts,  ate.  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  reduction  ratioa.  Thoae  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraiy  included  in  one  expoeure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  comor.  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  aa  many  frames  aa 
required.  The  following  diagrama  illustrate  the 
method: 


Laa  cartea,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  pauvent  dtre 
fiimte  ik  dee  taux  do  rMuction  diff^ents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  itra 
reproduit  an  un  seul  clich*.  II  est  film*  i  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  baa,  t^  pranant  la  nombra 
d'Imcgaa  nicassaira.  Laa  diagrammes  suivants 
lliuatrent  la  m^thoda. 


1  2  3 


32X 


A 


i 


¥ 


■'■■•wni  mmr"  -  ■ 


-iJwi^ 


^ 


^ 


V. 


p  r  T  I)  s 


0^ES^NT   STATE 


*        *•      . 


or   o^n 

Political  Relations 

V  I  T  K-    TH  « 

United  States  cj  North-rApisrlca. 
By  JOSEPH  FAUCHET; 

.       EX-MINISTER  OF  THE 

FRENCH    I^EPUBLJO 

AT  PHi;.ADELPHIA. 

Til  AMI  AT  K&    «.V    |H|    |01t&«.    O?     XH-»    ^(UROXV 


e  H  I  I,  A  D  E  l  P  H  I  Ai 
fpinuihy  ScNj    FRANKLIN  BACHE,  A'..  ii»,  hUrha.fi.ce:^ 

K.DGCXCVII. 


,■>  *■» 


N 


.-»-..... ...V--«4I 


"■•iSKf*  »w.r«»l>aw» 


X 


V 


4% 


iiili^ifin 


A   S  It  E  T  C  Hi(aJ  &c. 


7\T- 


\   \    *  \' 


I 


'Mi 


\ 


->)*';■ 


A 


Jl   CLmCAL  events  have,  like  thepherlomena  o^ 

Jure,  their  fuccefllve  changes  and  their  progreflion* 
e  art  b'f  obferving  the  one  and  the  other,  of  watching 
mtir  &velopments,  of  calculating  their  iflue,  conftitute^ 

iplifeiencc  of  the  natural  philofophcr  and  of  theftatef- 
Sh.  The  laf  ter  W  never  fb  proiound  as  ^heft  he  join^ 
t5  the  dalculat  ion  of  the  different  changes  the  poWer  o^ 
dire£ling,  oiT  fohduing  ^nd  6f  malting  inevitable  incon- 
veniencies  bend  to  his  vievtrs,  or  of  neutralizing  them  by 
wife  precai;  'ions.'  All  'hofe  who  were  enabted  By  their 
&tiatiph  to  pay  fome  attention  to  our  relations  witii' 
JCherica,  have  forefeeu  the  prill's  of  which  we  aire  now; 
witncfles:  Infa£(,  the  cburfe  df  events  had(  heteflarily 
brought  ft  or.|  anid  nothing  has  delayed  its  approach,  but 
the  indiffefetic^  andl  the  apathy,  int©  which  the  affiurs 
of  Europe  had  plttnged  our  government,  wx^  regard  td 
that  nation.    ,  , 

Much"  has  been  writt^  atid  mii/ch  fai({  on  thisTu*bje£i; 
The/ofiiy  rcfult  1  have  been  able  to  draw  from  all  thal^ 
has  been  done  in  this  vcfpea  is,  that  the  public  took' 
feme  intercom  it;  and  it  is  partly  this  corifideratiori* 
that  has  deteritiined  me  to  offer  fome  ideas  dn  that  fub- 
16&.  1  have,  perhaps,  fome  ngh't  to  do  this.  The  na- 
ture of  the  funaions  I  difcharged  near  thd  American* 
g6vcrhmenti  my  ferfonal  Htuatioil,  vi^hicli  places  me  be- 
yond the  reach  of  all  fufpicion,  either  of  ambitious  views/ 
orof  partiality  for  the  executive}  the  filence  which  I, 
have  hithfcTtopreferved,  a  filence  whicTi  beft  fuited  my 
fituation  and  the  times;  the  indirea  allufions  of  which' 
my  adminiftratron  has  been  flie  bbje£f,  aill  engage  me 

Cfjltisto  bcremarked,,  that  this  pamphlet  appeared  iij' 
Parwl^forc  the  4th, of  ^cvtcmbcr;  which  gives  aftronger 
character  of  impartiality  to  t)ie  animxdverfions  which  it  coni' 
tains  upon  Paftoret,  Segur  ahd  Co.  who,  it  has  been  en-' 
deavourcd  to  prrfuade  tlie  citizens  of  the  United  States 
wire  our  friends;  but  wko,  in  fact,  were  only  the partlfanJ 
•t  our  admbiftration*  '    mtcoftkWra/sldi^rP 


'f  ■ 


„  •-^i»Hrw**iS»'T>'if>-*i*-, 


<^w¥»^ik<^-^-~ 


H 


C    4    ] 

to  take  up  the  peri,  with  the  thoroiigh  c«nvl£iIon  thtlt  I 
fljiill  tilt:  it  without  timidity  and  without  palfion. 

iWions!    Why  fliould  1  biing  ihcm  into  a  difcuflloii, 
like  this?  Do  the  pcrfonal  connedlions  I  have  had  de-' 
inandit?  'rhcfe  eoiitiedUons  have  been  as  imparti;il  on 
my  fide,  as  they  ever  wtro  oii  tlife  par*  of  any  of  my 
^rcdeceflbrs,  and  from  this  Impartiality  muit  have  %"nj|, 
a  reciprocal  regard  which  ought  to  have  left  in  my  brta»^! 
to  rcicntment  to  fatisfy.     I  dcty  Calumny  lc»  coiuraiLa. : 
tticfc  afltrtionsj  .  '.'  J 

'  The  Prcfident  Waftilngbn    granted  me  that  efteetfl^V 
Which  he  could  not  rcfufc  to  a  man  incapable    of  htt* 
tnonizing  with  the  open  ot  fccrct  enemies  o£  his  couiU  I 
try.  1  have,  In  critical  llmeSi  and  during  a  ftate  of  thing^j 
the  unfavourable  rcfleaed  Inipteflions  of  which  it  w«ii 
difficuh  to  witkiland  In  fbreiatt  countries,  enjaycdr* 
much   refpefl  as  ever  a  Mhiifter  of  France  ciijoyd 
As  to  the  atticks,  open  or  maflccd,  of  whkh  I  may  hai 
been  the  objca,  thef  have  no  linger  power  to  itritato 
me.     I  know  too  well  of  what  value  opinions  are »» timei 
likcUofe  we  live  irii    The  fpirit  of  party  created  and  dc-^ 
ftroys  reputations*}  ihe  moft  ptbiligatc  debauchees,  Ipropce* 
hetesl  of  the  dourtof  Charles  II.  # re  citdUed  as  prodigies 
^bf  h&oi;  and  virtuci  by  the  writers  of  tMoll»iiarty^  Amaa 
Who  IS  ciiUghterted  •itough  to  form  an  opimojt,  teHakM. 
enough  to  maintain  it,  Ihotild  fliare  k«  fate;  it  Wotild 
be  as  coWatcUy  on  his  part  p  (hun  this,  a*  dn  the  part 
bf  a  (oldier  ip  fculk  ftoth  the  danger  of  thetorp8# 

Wliich  he  is  embodied.  ;      .  •       .'.^ 

AdOiatdt  %hd  poff^fles  afejiutauoo  proportioned t<^ 
the  imporuncef  which  his  party  atiachw  to  hinj^  J»i 
taken  the  lihcfty  to  caft  upoii  my  prcdctcffiw  neat  th»  y 
tJnited  States,  a  cenftirc  Which  hefecmi  to  haTCtntend* 
H  to  ekterid  to  rtic.    He  knows  neither  what  relatej  Ui  | 
irie  pcribnally,  no*  to  my  admlniftration^  hisfpecch  *Jj 
&11  of  a  biece ;  he  has  drawn  his  rcflcaioris  on  mcjijand  i 
his  arguniehls  oil  Mnp,  froiri  the  fame  foujxcs.    I  mji 
Jperh^s,  in  the  cbtirfe  of  drise%,  cdttvmce^him  that 
he  his  been  inji^ofed  tipdn  with  refpcft  to  the  latter  | 
^«nd  if  he  thence  cltaws  &«i  confequence,  that  he  maj 
*^fo#  bed*  delimited  With  *cgard  to  pcrfoiis^  I  fbaM 
•  Tb»  Cirtara  Paftorfl* 


I     Idhgratulart*  myfijJfj  on  account  of  the  Clti:ictt  Genel* 
I      njy  prcdeceflbr,  againlt  whom  he  haa  inor«f  particularlf 
direac^  hi»  aniwadrerfious ;  and  as  that  Gitijtcn  is  ab* 
fctit,  and  ii  Is  fjofliUle  that  the  opiuioa  oftht  deputy  of 
fearis  may  not  befo  indifferent  to  him  a«  it  is  to  mc,  I  fhall 
Bt  Icaft  have  cbntrihiited  toreaify,  with  fcftie^  to  hi»i 
tikkc  ideal  of  a  hianj  wlio,  without  intereft  to  defamd 
«|im>  can  hate  uoae  to  pcrfift  in  aa  injuftlcc  which  ho 
tm  tomenitted  upon  truHi  ; 
1         Thofc  wbd  hate  taken  tWJ  trdubfce  of  conferring  on 
♦tee  the  rcputatioa  cf  inaaivitT,  wUl  be  aftoniflied  to  foe 
Wpt»ca«ia  imbKc.  I  fhotildbe  forty  if  dirt^woik  were  t« 
tha«g©thch"QpinioiiS»ith  rejaxHmej  IfhouW  fcarthcy 
Wghtdifcover  in  it  iym^tamof  that  kind  ci  aaivity 
%lSoh  I  prise  hok  Iktl^  and  which  eottfiUn  id  taking  ad- 
'   %2}t«gfc  of  o»t%  phyfical  poweti,  by  appearing  ev«y* 
/   Witfe^  and  multiplying  one's-felf  hva  manner  :  I  fliall 
i  '^deavoir  tb  prorc  that  ftudy  may  be  united  to  irpofei 
and  that  a  man  may  havo  thought,  *witho»t  hating  fpbken 
tetxh  or  wntte»  much. 


u. 


Tittilfe  aic  olrciimAaneca  in  the  niutttal  r«la«i©nMi  nui 
Viom,  when  .thoirgovernraBnts  can  no  longer  ag«e  witft- 
tafih'«i^t^  aM  wheniti  becomes  necefliairy  to  refott  ta 
txttaoBdimty  Ihean&of  explanation,  and  often  e^entiO 
Hi©  etiieli  esMreiiiitle*  cf  war.    Our  ptcfijntpofitiori,  ht 
U  ^awMtiitlie  United  Statc»<  ftemay  at  the  fell  glancCj 
l^have  alt  thk  lymptomftM  tha««lc|»I<^^I«  alt^mativo. 
Honrerer,  kw  muft  not  be  deceive*  by  tkdfe  6w^A  ap- 
pearances f  great  sm  the  aBiawfrtyihif  be  which  hash!** 
thectq,  onbdtkfidcli,mprfce«l  th^  hiiniAcrial difi«aCchet>and  • 
mahtfeftoes,  fti  there  exifts  ftill  a  ppint  of  contaa ;  it- 
is  the  common  intereft,  vrWch  tcprobates  a  rupture. 
By  a.  ftria  anaiyfiftof  the  aas  tif  both  parties,  it  may 
newrtheleft  be  teen,  that  in«idctatwn  is  on  the  fide  ol  the 

ExecuiiTC  Bireftory.  .       *; «   ^  «  * 

Uis  fttffici^t  to  tead  th^iiotes  which  thrSectetaty  ofc 
6taita»  Uii  Pkkeriflg,  ha»  figned  fiftce  his  coming  mio 
&e  miniftry,  to  be  pcrfeaiy  comdnocd  tha^thc  Ataen* 
tancabiaei  has,  #lth  regard  tout,  fwn»  *^*  T?°2 
ihat  the  (Kfcuffions  began  to  become  fetkMft,  run  thrt>tt|K 
ill  the  Heipwt  of  ito«  Mifft  madte*^  «ootcmpt;    f^m 


<4' 


i 


>  n 


4 


i, 
i 


I 


% 


'€ 


j.^T^SW  ■'^  '■■*"" 


\ 


i 


; 


i 


I 


.•'A 


./ 


pifocetdcd  fvicceflivcly  from  an  iridecttit  levity  (a  tn<!    - 
ione  of  infult,  a  tone  which  reigns  from  one  end  to  thtf 
other  of  the  voluminous  performance    ^hich   has  becti 
dirtftcd  to  Mr.  Pinckrief,  onder  the  title  of  difpatchesi 
^nd  which  its  agents  at  Paris  have  had  tranilated  and  cir- 
,  qulated  nrofufeljr»     The  Dircftoi-y  has  confined  itfcJf  td 
atling,  and  we  ihall  fee  how  I'm  it  has  had  h  right  of  do^/ 
ing  fo.     Tlie  ttotes   direftly  exchanged  at  Pans  breuth^^  *• 
Only  coldnefs  and  c:\lmnefs :  Thofe  forwarded  to  the 
United  States  ni^ghi  have  becfi  bettet  adapted  to  the  cir«, 
cumitances*  the  localities^  and  the  government,  in  th^^ 
name  of  which  they  were  ifTued }  but  they  do  not,  how- 
ever, in  the  lead;  deviate  from  decency  and  moderation. 
Let  us  not  deceive  oUrfclves  y  Mt  Pickering,  when  he 
ftgned  the  lad  difpatckdf  June  id,  1797*  forefaw  that 
he  would   find  defeiiden^  at  Pari^}  he  knew  what  Mr^* 
Pincknty  afterwards  wrote  him  from  Paris,  that  the  nevli'* 
ele£t/ons  Would  give  another  afpe£t  to  aiFairs  *  in  France  ^ 
<knd  that  his  tnanifeflo  would  arrive  opportunely  to  fe- 
cond  the  arrangements  of  fome  men,  who  waited  only  for 
that  momenf  to  break  illence.^^y    It  is  to  be  regrcttect 
that  fttch  tfc  thd  paffions  at  this  day }  that  men  \ti\  xui 
rcpugnjincts  in  taking  a  text,  of  denunciaition  againft  the 
txecutiv^  branch   of  the  govefiiment,  frbm  a  diipatch 
whidi  bears  all; the  ckarafleks  of  the  deepcil  enmity :  I(;f 
is  yet  niore  to, be  regretted,  that  it  fhould  be  Relieved', 
ppifible,  in  filch  eafes^  to  f^pamte  th6  fubie£t  matter  of 
difpute  from  the  decUiinat6ry  part  {  and  that  entirely  ne-^ ' 
gle^ling  the  former,  which  is  the  moft  important,  the  . 
latter  ihould  be  dwelt  on  without  refledlion,  and  without 
bounds.,    It  was  a  very  important  queilion  to  be  foived/ 

.^  Blcport  ofMf;  Pfckcrinf  to  the  Secretary  of  State  on 
his  reception  at  Paris.      ,,..., 

'^h)  The  conDectiou  between  otir  admiaiftration  and  the  , 
rdyadifltpaHy,  lately  overthrown  in  France,  has  long  been  fuf-' 
pectcd,  and  cannot  no  n  be  doubted.  Thus  we  fee  that  Meflra ." 
Pickering,  Se  bo.  carry  on  the  fame  intrigues  in  other  Couo-: 
tries,  for  which  they  fo  vehejiiently  blame,  an^  without 
btfing  able  to  adduce  .proofs  oi  their  exiitiMaee,  tne  French 
agents  here.  What  a  pity  that  Mr.  Pickering  cannot  cora-^ 
maud  an  annual  appropriation  for  fecret  fervicet;  tre  fliouti  ; 
tlieft  have  our  P//  as  wt  baVe  our  Cwrjfe.— [T*ra/M/d«»ir; 


"**%J'^feiiJ^a 


_  .      .,  . .  „J1J  -^ 


E  '7    3 

yirhctticr  a  right  exifted  of  bringing  forward  a  qucftion  of 
that  nature  ?  The  ftep  being  once  taken,  it  ought  at  Icaft 
to  have  been  fupported  by  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
fubjea  of  difcullton.         » 

However,  whatever  may  have  befn   the  mqtive  o{ 
fhcfe  extraordinary  motions,  the  Direftory  is,  ncverth«;r 
Uk,  on  the  eve  of  entering  into  ne^ociationa  on  the  differ- 
ent points  in  difpute  with  the  cabinet  of  Philadelphia.  It  i^ 
wailily  perceived,  what  difadvan^age  it  will  have  in  this 
icgocuiiqn,  after  what  has  pajTed  ip  the  councils  •,  but 
ibtting  afide,  for  the  moment,  the  probabilities  of  fuccciisi 
which  the  two  parties  may  have,  it  would  be  important 
to  furnifh  thofe  wjho  are  intercfted  in  that  tranfaaioi^ 
with  the  means  of  calculating   its   dircftion   and   iffutf, 
Suchistheobjeaofthisfketch.     We  (hall  firftfumma- 
xjly  review  oUr  grievances,  and  examine  their  weight. 
g»  it  would  be  exceeding  the  bounds  pf  a  work  defignedj 
for  the  public,  to  give  a  miriute  detail  of  all  the  wrongs 
with  which  France  reproaches  the  Fedeial  Government. 
A  very  detailed  account  may  be  found  in  the  difpatch  of 
Mr.  Pickering  to  Mr.  Pinckney,  of  which  merftion  hasi 
already  been  made.     We  fhall  fay  then,  that  our  com^ 
plaints  relate  in  the  firft  placebo  the  inex-cutiott  and  the 
yiolatipn  of  Ircatles.  "  What  ar*  »he  treaties  tbaf  unites 
America  to  France  ?  They  arc  well  known :  They  con- 
$ft  of  a  treaty  of  alliance  offenfivc  and  defenfive,  (c)  and 
a  treaty  of  Amity,  Navigation    and   Commerce,  both^ 
figned  on  the  fame  day.    Thefc  treaties  arc  the  firft  conv 
^afts  which  the  United   States  fipicd' as    a    natioil, 
They  cftablift  therefore,  In  favour  of  France,  rights  an- 
terior to  any  rights,  which  other  nations  may  have  af- 
terwards acquired}  agreeably  to  the  princ^le  of  the  laiy 
of  nations,  which  gives  to  the  oldeft  treaties    the  pre- 
ference over  thofe  more  recently  concluded;  as  Io«g  as  a^ 
war  has  not  deftroyed  them.     France  has  by  thefe  trea- 
ties refcrved  none  of  the  advantages  which  the  fituatioh 
of  th?  United  StaJj^S,  might  have  induced  her  to  cxaa. 
She  ha«  contented  herfelf'  with  recognizing  the  Itipula- 
tions  moft  common,  and  which  form  the  bafis  of  all  trea^ 
(c)  Mr.'  Fauchet  is  here  in   an  error.  Our  treaty  wi  t|i 
Frafice  it  only  de/eriiivc  and  nut  offcnfive.     Xransiato,., 


^. 


^ 


f 


lici  of  that  nature  \  tnd  the  benefit  Hie  mi^j^hi  CKjpoiS^ 
Iromit,  proceeded  lefs  from  the  intrinfic  value  of  t)fa9 
ftipulations  thtmfclvxs,  than  from  the  prbriry  T,'h»c!!  (lis 
had/ iicquireil  oyer  other  ftatcg.  Tiw  treaty  of  aPiiincio 
waSt  ruhout  any  doubt,  vh^gitoty  on  th?  American s^ 
notwithitcsnding  the  change  tU4t  took  piace  in  our  go- 
vernment, whatever  mc^  fold  to  Great  Ikitain,  and 
blinded  by  pcrfiunal  hatred  may  have  written  '  g^nit  the 
immortal  negociator*  of  that  treaty.  We  have  not  re- 
quired the  e:!^ccutiou  of  that  treaty,  altl\ough  thq  cajus  fas- 
feris  ha«  cxii^ed  in  its  full  force,    Ihid  jnudc. atH>,n  on  our 

})art  ouglit,  at  leafl,  to  have  fvcured  to  us  the  cnjoymei£t 
\i  tiie  advantages  (lipulated  by  the  qthcr  treaty^,  in  the 
eventual  cafe  of  the  neptr^lity  of  one  of  the  t^o  parties. 

Nothing  proves  more  the  want  of  caution  or  the  ex- 
fcfllve  goud^vill  of  Qu^  ^egociators  for  the  United 
(itatc^i  (luupi  tlve  principles  they  havp  ^tdopted  in  that 
treaty,  rclatxvdy  \o  tlte  above  eventual  cafe  of  i^cutralit^. 
|t  was  cafy  to  forefee,  tliat  adpal  reciprocity  could  lio^ 
f;tift  for  a  long  time  to  come  ;  For  it  is  difiicult  to  c<«»- 
f eive  a  combinatiop  Qjf  clrcuro|lar\ce«  which,  involving 
the  United  States  in  a  war  of  apy  importance,  f^oudd 
|)ermit  Fr«4icc  to  remi^in  neutral,  '  Hovyeycr,  if  Trance 
((lid  x^  iofe  fight  of  the  cbje^'itowards  y^^ch,  for  a  cen? 
tur J  ^'^x  ^i  "*^  p!*^*  ^^^  dire^ed*  thjtjt  of  undoimin- 
ing  tae  commercial  m-eponderance  of  Ei^Iand,  (l>e  ougltt 
fo liave  ufcd  sdl  poll^ble  circumfpcdl  ion,  with  r^g^rd  to. 
the  advantage  Q>e  was  ahouC  givmg  to  a  flag  d«i^ii^  tt» 
W  the  cvTi^r  fif  all  the  9thie(  ^aim^rcial  iiitions  ia 
dime' of  war,  She  fi^ghttoi  have  taken  t|ie  greater  pre-, 
fautions  \\\  thjiy  ve(pe4,  as  the  fioiili^ity  of  i^^Aero 
and  of  lattguage  greatly  favoured  the  nbufs*  y^^ch^ 
England  might  make  of  the  American  ftag  and  fnilDCft*  > 

Forgetting  tho£e  gceat  yatei^fts^  guided  by. the  id«% 
more  g|e|Kro«s  than  pontic,,  n^t  to  depaet*  in  any  l>f.  out 
treaties,  fcom  the  principlea  of  neutriiUi^  of  whidi^wc 
;|^oclaiq:i6d  oipTfi^ei^  th«  pcou£tcrs,  '^.  do  \5at^nn8s 
treated  upon  rJie  Ubci:;U  banf»  of  thofe  princupiei.  Tite 
only  equivalent  which  ^omttd  to  b^  Kefs)rv«4.H«  us,'  wgis. 
the  priyilege  of  conducting  pur  prizes  and  ottr  priva- 
|eers  to  the  United  States^  witl^put  the  Iq;;^  oi^cer&  Ki^ 


1«ii  cognizance  of  Uifi  vaMaity  of  the  former  j  aftefwdMS 
Ihat  of  our  fhipl  of  w?r  'jcing  allowed  to  enter  their  porti 
luid  vi£Vuali  to  t:  ^  txclufiort  of  thofc  of  oor  encmiei) 
S»hich,  in  all  polfiblc  com^jinatibns  of  cVentSi  waft  a* 
much  as  to  fay,  thofe  of  Great  Britain  and  her  alUefti 
This  fecond  ciaufe  conulneda  pointed  and  eXttaordina^ 
Vy  favour,  bUt  It  will  ceafe  to  appear  fUch  by  the  deV«i 
lopments  which  here  followi     i        •,     .        :  ,    , 

To  thoft  who  know  the  fitiiation  of  the  Americart  c-:i* 
tWeht,  relative  to  the  Weft  tndicB*  the  moft  aroarenti 
if  ndt  the  moft  real  tentn  of  the  commerce  of  Europe^ 
h  will  Appear /JTident  tlut  the  permiffion  io  carry  our 
prizet  to  the  United  Stntei,  to  the  exclufion  of  Enaland; 
wa»  of  great  valUc.  ,  England  was  as  well  aware  bf  it  as 
\re  i  therefor*,  ds  foon  aS  the  prpfcht  war  thfcatehed  to 
break  out,  (he  ertifJlbycd  all  poffiWe  ahs  to  neutralize 
the  eventual  ewrcife  of  that  right :  Since  the  iiomthence- 
mcnt  of  hdiiilitlcs,  (he  has  doiie  etcry  thing  to  (hackle 
it:  And  Hnally,  as  th*  fcntiments  of  the  American  ca- 
binet afl'umed  in  afp?a  niore  and  more  malevdlertt,  (he 
progrelTed  towards  the  objcft  which  (he  willied  to  at- 
tain, that  of  rendering  that  right  illufory,  and  even  ruinu 

tUstoFniiJcei..        ^  ;    ,    ,     i..  H*il\  »;  r 

In  faa,  Wha^  ftch  fiumbers  bf  prizes  llbpt  i^  th* 
febrtsof  the  United  States,  under  the  moft  fWvolotii  prc- 
fexts,  and  delivfered  Up  to  the  illicit  examination  of  thd 
Amcrifcan tribunals:  It  is  particiilarly  in  the  t>orts  of  th<i 
fduthern  ftates  that  thb  fcandaldus  proceeding  has  been 
tobfcrved.  Thefe  prizes  detained,  brought  befbre  cburti 
Whofe  forms  ate  more  or  lefs  expertfive,  have  filially  becil 
i«ftorbl  to  the  tap«iired,  and  ofteti  ruined  the  taptori. 
Sippofmg  that  amo.^  the  pretexts  held  Up  to  julkify  fo 
extraordinary  a  cbndufti  fome  were  Valid,  the  demand 
icpcatcdly  made  to  place  the  captured  and  thccaptors  oil 
art  equal  footing,  by  rfquaring  of  the  plaihtiffi  Whoever 
he  might  bei  a  fectirUy  which  fliould  (faeltet  againft  a( 
j>rQfe$ation  evidently  unjuit*  ought  to  ha^e  bech  ac- 
^aiefced  in.  The  American  govemmenti  after  havm  j 
fokmnly  rccognified  our  rif^t  to  carry  our  prices  into  ite 
portSi  pewnitfcd  their  fak  in  thfe  fetne  ports:  Thisf*. 
fo^  privHege,  although  merely  gratuitous,  turned  td 
Iht  »irma^  of  iw  cuftom-houfes,  and  it»  n««tr4»ty  rtf* 


.N 


m 


\ji 


V  f  ,1 


r^-^-^v 


»'.  * 


Ihatneii  fiot  the  lets  inviolate  }  fof  tKe  right  tit  difpofij 
of  the  property,  was  but  a  coiiieqMence  of  thxt  of  con><  ■ 
dudl^ing  that  property  inro its yottn'f  aconfecfuencewiiicb^ 
in  reality,  but  little  ihterefts  the  captured^     But  the  aits' 
of  England  foon  c;tufed  thil  §vtot  to  be  Couddetcd.  in  a 
diftevent  Hght  j  It  Was  refolvcil  to  depri<re  us  of  it.    To. 
attain  thfs^  object,  different  iJretRXte  were  devifed  for  feiz- 
ing  the  prize )  at  laft   the  advantage  ^as  opehJjii  nkedv 
ftom  us*  '  -  ' 

Th^  pretexts  (rf  the  fedewi  gowrnftient,  for  taking 
cognizatfce  of  French  prises,  are  reducible  to  mo  j  cap^ 
tare  tvithin  the  limits  of  its  jurlfdi<Slionj  dn4  capture 
by  ve^ls  armed  nctthin  its  waters.  No  obje£fcion  ha» 
ever  beeniitads  to  tecogniiing' the  jufiliice  of  the  firft 
principle :,  h  would  be  >conteiting  t>  ?  foltereigntf  of  at 
ftate  to  wife  doubt*  <)n  that  head.  The  fecond  is  muchi 
leCs  reafonable  i  It  has  been  conceded  only  as  a  natural^ 
tohfequeiice  of  the  fatisfa^lion  which  was  given,  witk 
rcfpe^  ttf  the  ptiv4te«r&  atmed  in  the  United  fixates,  un^ 
der  the  utimiler  Genet  v-  but  giving  the  latitude  which 
the  gov^ttiAient  df  the  IJrated  States  cont^/Mlsfor,  wa» 
inanifeflii^  axi  evidemfteo^  ill- will:  A  ^<vateer  was  ac<«^ 
tufed  'trf hkviag  beehawiRed  in  the  Un**ted  S&ttes,  ha<i-^ 
ihe  but  taken  in  tflJdiit  mu&ct,  of  opentd  a  port-hdle 
befocR  thttt  ujfc  '" 

*  However,  » teif  greiit  proot  o?  cbncilia^ion  was  gtv^ 
en,  by  piropofing  &at  ah  thefi^  fubje£lts  flurald  be  fobralt^ 
ed  to  an  amicable  negociation  betweeni  the  miniOer  o^^- 
France  and  the  American  goiremn>enr)  by  this  means  ' 
the  tnterefts  of  the  two  nation^  would  have  been  fecur* 
ed,  and  the  tfeaty  which  I'equires  that  tte  afietts  of  the 
Paid  parties  Jhall  mt  take  cogmsuMce  of  thf  validity  efprixjiff 
wnuld  have  beeti  reipe6ied<  Hhe  American  goyernmenC 
re^e^ed  all  (hefe  ove.-ture8 :  Its  motive  of  a£tic^i  was  'A- 
fervite  coffdefcenffon  for  onr  enemy,  snd  it  ail^fwered  ali 
our  remofrftranc^tf  by  /ayiftg,  that  when  an  affeir.  Wa* 
once  before  its  tribunak  it  ctiuld  not  withdraw  it,  nof- 
give  us  any  fatisfaftien  in  that  tcf|e£t. 

This  was  in  geh^ral  the  Hiield  wliich  «he  ^Wfcftraenf 
cooftantfy  oppofed  to  «s^  T4>difc«^^  valucof  that;quit>« 
toe,  it  would  ferft  be  neceflfary  t»ej»ait»ine  whether  '^e  cart 
^dnnt.k,  who  Ivavs.  a  tre;fty>  whcthev  a govcrumeiK wtuk- 


t    n    3 

0ppofe  tntcrti^il  law$  tp  a  political  nompaJk  :  Then  th? 
federal  government  might  be  a^kcd,  whether  it  ia  no| 
the  fubterfuge  of  bad  faith,  even  acpording  to  their  own 
i:Onftit«t|on  ?  Whether  it»  admiralty  courts,  Ly.  taking 
cognizance  of  matters,  from  yjiich  they  are  excluded  by 
fi  folecnn  txeaty,  donot  vimatc  the  daufe  of  the  confti» 
tution,  whfch  fays,  that  tieaties  are  the  fupreme  law  of 
the  land,  a>  ptimmount  lai^,.  to  ufe  the  expreifton  of  the 
j,ngli(h  juriltb.  > 

Without  fuggeiling  to  itfclfthofe  doubts,  the  A  men-. 
<:an  adminifttatTon  has  advanced  with  perfeycrance  ta 
^  en4  marked  out  by  it»  maleyaleneti  towwds  us,  and 
by  its  preiilcaien  for  Great  Britain^  Its  tribunals,  iiK 
fluCinced  by  tlie  fame  fpirit  which  direCked  that  cabi.ict, 
po  longer  kept  within  bounds  \  the  dignity  of  the  rspub^ 
^  hij  b^en  on  an  hundred  qceafionn  committed,  and, 
Ibofe  who  fitted  out  privateer  ruined, 

I  am  ferjfible  of  the  juft  value  which  ought  to  be  fef 
in)onthi$  portion  of  QV  gri«T»nQC8i  accordingly  it  is 
not  my  intention  to  examine  tkQ  degrea  of  favour  whick 
^e  fittc^$  of  privateers,  fuch  ai  thoft?  wHofc  interefti  bavl 
Veen  irtv<dve4  in  the  United  fttdteS)  4e(erve  y  no  one  Is 
more^confeious  than  I  am,  haf#  UKtl9  feafon  thcw  i»  ta 
^  forward  ii>fifliing  ferious ,  c^iflHWon  on  ^CQiint  of 
concerns  of  privateers  in  |^nsral»  and  of  thofe  wp'treatj 
^f  in  partictilary  ftut  it  ia  with  govetmucnta  as  with  in- 
dividuals:  In  n[iatter8  oftepatatlon  a&well  as  of  intereft« 
both  %?e  e^aiy  h%  aafoou  s^i  we  cftafe  %a  he  jealous  oi 
preferving  tKem  in  all  cafes^ 

Befides,  thebtifiiiefs  wis  ^ put »rfeatic&  to. a  trial, th« 
:^pUcation:of  which emad  not;  till  then  have  been  calle* 
for.  It  Mra$,  therefore,  important  to  watch  left  conftruc-t 
taons  ftwuld  fupercede  their  literal  meaning ;  left  depar- 
tures from  the  treaty,  upon  the  ground  of  momentary  ac^ 
oommodntion,  flipuld  becojne  the  fpurcc.of  a  number  ol 
precedents  whieh  wq^jW^  wi^dut  fail»  be  marflialled 
sigainft  U6  in  future.  '    ^ 

As  to  Ac  right  of  ent«r«t>|f  viHtH  and  viaualUng  out 
e^ips  of  wtr  in  theXJnited  Statses^  it  was  equally, well  cftab^ 
Ufticd.  The  exclufion  of  England  could  not  be  a  fal*» 
j^  of  doubt,  agreeable  to  the  terms  in  which,  the  i7tK 
9l^€l«  is  e«prefied.  In  *«4«  not  .to  giue  to  that  tk<^ 


til 


{"'^. 


l  >cl 


(VPii)  A  QhatdStn  too  repugnant  to  neutralityi  it  was  Wx 
jlpil^eci  ^o  Oiips  Yft^ft  ihould  have  made  feme  pii?;e8  upr 

'fhc  Fetjeral  goyernment  wiihing  to  elude  here,  the 
literal  f^nfe,  ha^  entangled  itfelf  in  its  own  interpreta- 
^on^.  |t  contendod  that  that  exclufion  lelated  only  to 
^he  ihips  entering  yrith  their  prizes,  and  then  to  the 
prjz^q  ^emfejves.  The  Eqgliih  Minifter,  Mr.  Ham- 
mond, prptefted,  in  (he  name  of  his  court,  ag^^nft  that 
interpretation,  and  it  is,  as  yet,  unknown  how  the  Ame- 
ficaq' cabinet  has  b(;en  able  to  conciliate  its  interpreta-r 
fion  yrith  the  contradiftorv  interpr-^tations  of  both  the 
JVfinillers  otf  France  and  England. 

Coi^ld  fhe  wor4|ng  of  that  article  offei  the  lead  (ha^ 
4ow  of  difi^cul^y,  ^t  would  be  fufficisnt  t»  recur  to  the 
f  irci^mfl^nces,  and  tp  the  etijetnbh  of  the  negociation  oi 
^778^  to  remove  it.  Mr.  de  Vergennes,  in  order  td 
tranquillize  the  United  States  with  rerpe€^  to  our  views, 
find  |p  gua^d  againft  every  rowans  of  difunion  and  diftruft^ 
itipuiated,  at  the  defire  of  the  American  Plenipotentiary, 
^he  formal  renunciation  to  any  eventual  pofl'eilion  by 
f'ranccj  of  any  of  the  ter^tories  ceded  to  Great  Britain, 
at  the  peace  of  ^63,  on  i^e  Northern  continent  of  Ame^ 
ifica.,  {.This  renunciation  was  abfolutc)  w«  loft  thcreb]|i 
^he  hopes  of  obtaining,  by  war  or  by  negociation,  a  porl 
in  theGulph  of  St.  Laurence,  or  in  Nova-jScotia,  in  order 
%(>  balance  the  advantages  which  the  exclufive  pofleilion 
pf  all  the  mariume  ports  of  that  continent  gives  to  £nn 
gland.  : 

^  Had  t}ie  independenoe  of  the  United  States  not  ie- 
cured  us,  in  its  ports,  the  means  of  counterbalancing  that 
pofitioi^  of  En^and,  we  ought  to  have  thought  of  taking 
Advantage!  c(f  the  war  and  of  conquering  for  our  o^n 
account:  Our  contrary  condu£l  is  explained  by  thet 
claufes  which  fecure  to  us,  in  the  eventual  cafe  of  the 
neutrality  of  the  United  States,  tfie  ufe  of  its  ports  fon 
pur  fquadrons ;  without  this  the  whole  negociation 
would  have  been  a  mere  folly  on  our  part,  and  this  can- 
]|iot  be  maintained,  knowing  tHoie  who  were  charged  to^ 
jflipulate  in  oUr  behalf. 

■  The  two  grievances  which  we  have  juft  examined  wuld 
Wi\  ^py^^^^t  ^YC  boc^  worth  entering   ^nto  fei.in^ 


4litMfRon8  about^  If  theyl>ad  ftood  aloive.  •  If  ti»aF?4p* 
f  al  govcrhmcnt  had  afted  in  other  refpefts  with  finccrity, 
\t  WQ^14  have  advanced  fqmcplau^ble  pretexts  to  attcn 
puate  the  impropriety  of  i^s    cpndqfV  «pqn  tbofe  twa 
points,     An  infant  tra4e>  deftitute  of  every  m^aqs  of  pro^ 
Xe€tion  i  the  New  World  abandoned  to  the  defpqtifm 
of  lingland,  and  as  it  were  to  its  difcretion  i  preferve4 
from  total  (ubje£^ioq,  by  (^upcndous  convulfioas,  asterri-i 
ble  as  the  dangers  of  which  they  dinainiflied  the  chance*,  (</) 
the  unqertainty  which  charafterized  the  firft  events  of  thcj 
war;  a  governn^ent to  fettle  ',  wounds  to  hei(il,  ancmp. 
ty  treafury,  a  nation  without  n^oney  ^^4  without  an  ar* 
my;— fuch  a^e  the  motives,  founded  on  ijitcreft,  whicl^ 
the  Arherican  cabinet  might  have  pleaded  to  jqftify,  in 
confidential  explanations,  the  defertion  of  i^s  allies,  and. 
^s  partiality  for  England.     But    n^alevolence   was  th^ 
^ul  of  its  a£^ipfis:  Qovernments  do  no.t,  moi^e  than  in- 
dividuals, fquarc  Aeir  ?on4u£\  accpyding  to  the  external 
ibrms  of  a  correfpondence ;  the  intention  (fejfousenttndu) 
is  always  what  is  on  both  fides  endeavquTcd  to  t^e  founds 
out.    The  American  flj^ectitive  fay<?d  u#  this  trouble  by 
Cgning  witli  England,  and  in 'the  midft  of  hoftilities, 
without  giving  OS  any  previous  notice,  while  oil  the  con- 
trary; they  w*lte  promifing  to  4©  no  fuch  thing,  a  trea- 
ty  derogatory  ttf  that  of  1778,  containing  claules  hbftilp 
tp  us,  and  calciU^ted  for  the  prefcnt  war, 

A  pioU^cian  whofe  experience  gives  him  the  right  t^ 
exprefs  an  opinion  upon  this  fubjcd  •,•  a  diember  of  tliQ 
l^giflative  body  yfho.  has  ^ated  it  without  having  a 
knowledge  of  it,  have  both  jullified  at  once  the  Ame^ 
r^can  government,  on  the  fubje£t  of  the  treaty  of  Lon- 
4on.  Both  reft  their  opinion  on  the  ground,  ths^t  that 
government  I^a4  the  right  to  make  this  treaty,  and  that 
it  was  in  no  manner  anfwerablc  to  us  for  its  condu6t^ 
I  will  neither  infult  the  one  nor  the  other  by  fuppofing 

(d)  There  is  fome  obfcurity  Ir  this  fentence.  By  AW 
Worldy'  we  iijiagine^the  Weft  Indies  are  meant ;  and  that  the 
writer  alludes  to  the  manurniffion  of  the  blacks,  thro' oieanw  ' 
of  which  the  French  government  prevented  the  conqueft  of  their, 
iQands;  but  occafioncd  "  ftupcndous  (internal)  convulfions  as 
terrible  as  the  dangers  of  which  they  diminilhed  lU?  chanc?,^ 
^^  '     ^»iKi>,mSegur  the  eider. 


^ 


.  S^^m* 


£^** -■-■*_ 


*>*Vi. 


»   I 


t    M    1 

IliiJta  feriotw  in  llhis  mode  of  itftfi^iilg.  This  irguttrt«| 
^29  already  been  fuccefsfolly  apfwercd  :  It  may  Defidcn 
be  faid,  that  the  fir|l  of  tht  writers  px  quriftiori  is  fidf 
ijgnorant,  that  one  of  the  immedidtft  confecjtietices  of  ail 
^Hance  is,  that  the  allies  flhoirW  cammpmcate  to  each 
0ther  the  negpciatiorts  which  might  produce  any  chiftigciH 
tkhcir  fektrre  pofrtiom,  that  sA}  nationft^  at  Jtaikth<»f<!  Avi(hr 
ing  to  fen^ain  above  fufpicioij,  a£lt  in  this  thafirtct,  Thi^ 
writer  i«  too  yifeil  verfe^  ift  the  negociatibi^a  of  th6  en^f 
pi  thi^  century,  and  efpccially  in  thofe  which  have  re- 
lation to  the  mdyen>ents  m  the  North,  of  whicH  we  havft 
feen  the  (iemttemetttt  to  lay  don'n  fcrioufly,  a«  a  g^crner^ 
pofitionjf  that  a  ftate  has  the  power  of  chandng,  at  it| 
pieafuTC  a!\d  without  any  one's  finding  fault,  its  externa^ 
ij-elations.  Cii^umftances  might  be  recalled  to  his  tt* 
<}olk:£licm  in  which  he  has  a£led  on  vety  different  priiici*> 
pies.  Af  to  the  declamations'  whiph  the  orator  (PaftorelJ 
has  recourje  ^q  }rpoa  this  pointy  ^ey  may,  without  in¥ 
fJonvcnience,  remain  without  >i»  anfv«r }  they  could  oiV^ 
iy  be  combated  by  imitating  tl^m.  If  it  wii^  neceflarjf 
to  carry  further  the  rcfutatioH  of  this  fophifrnj  it  migh^ 
j>e  fat^j  that  iff  the  Aitierican  goTemn)«nt  had  alight  t^ 
^gociate  the  treaty,  it  ought  itot  td  haY<6  con^a^tly  «rfk 
furedftts,  at  Philadelphia  and  at  ^afidj  ^  the^  yroyj!^ 
t»e  none  eonclu4edt.  ' 

It  is,  however^  a  fiscondary  quef^ofi  #hich  ifz  hdv^f^' 
jttft  examitied.  -^i^efijrft  and  raeft  impottamtiilafl,  re-t 
](pcding  the  treaty  of  Londotij  is  whether  it  ^^Untfebut 
interefts,  and  if  it  was  rightful  for  i^  t6  fliek^  pVtfelVeit 
from  the  nece^ry  efficlfs  of  that  ^^  upbn  us^ 

No  one  hasl^tnerto  eo;t»f ended  fhat  the  treaty  is  hot- 
unfavcJura^fe  to  us  \  the  principles  of  neutrality^  whktit' 
ibrm  the  bafis  of  oura,  are  completely  £tctificedih  it|i' 
f ontrary  principles  ikt  therein  tecognized.  To^  rendt# 
(his  part  of  the  dif<^i($o^  af^0r<  $lear>  let  us  go  bsc^k  t<yV 
few  principles,. 

The  prerogative,  which  neutral  nations  enjoy  ip  time 
^f  war,  is  the  portion  of  the  law  of  nation  man  fubje^ 
to  difpnte.  Neutrals  having  a  great  intereft  in  enjoying 
the  mofl  extenfive  liberty  for  their  commerce ;  bielhgett 
i;^«t  |K)wersj  yrho  hfiycdi^  \  ^aii^«:  foj;^  tJo  j^' 


■■•^.f 


totJVbys,  h-4vitig  an  equal  intcreft  that  theircomrrierceffiff  ^ 
tantinufunditT  a  neutral  flag  during hoftiUties,  it  is  clear^' 
that  thofe  ttva  kinds  of  ^cj-si-ctt  biift,  rieccfl^riljr,  hate' 
Co^ilantljr  endeavoutcd  to  give  to  the  trad^  tJf  ticMtrzU 
t^iC  utmpft  latitude  df  freedom  i  'therefore  do  we  fefe 
all  thg^*eati<f  GttndlCidcd  for  a  «ett*OTy  and  a  half  h^c'k) 
by  cidver  ontbr  bthirbHh^tWa  l^inde  of  powerl^hkh ' 
we  h«re  defignated,  cotrtain  jmnrtples  extremely  liberal 
in  this  refpefti  Authors  Vho  hai^  written  ori  ihc  law 
of  nations  haye  iaid  dowfl  the  maiiini  that  eiiumy'a  pro- 
pcity  dod8  not  tcafe  beirrefbtioder  a  friendly  flag,  2li\A 
fconKqtiently  tnif  be  rei2ea.  Hie  treses  of  which  vi  c 
llbeak  above,  eftablifli,  on  the  contrary;  thatthe  ftien^lf  J 
flag  protefis  i;ncrtiiy*8  prop<irty,  aifti  places  it  b^ydttd  vi-fv 
olation}  this  10  what  is  cdmriK>hIy  called  the  modcrii 
rieutrality. 

Of  all  the  t»oiJrerf ,  whieh  By  theii-  natuf^  i.tt  riicK 
frequently  cngagedlin  maritime  wars,  France  is  the  one: 
^hlch  has  defended  the  bft  Mentioned  principles  witl^ 
ftioft  wsrn^th*  England*'  whofc  conimcrte,  even  irf 
liinc  of  war,  is  always  carefullv  pijoteaed,  has  fhewrt 
Itfclf  but  littIc/dlfp<Jf<4d  to  acltno^ledge  ihemi  oftert 
however  fhe  has  admitted  them  irt  her  ttieaiie^,  cither 
becaufe  ihe  wa«  farced  fo  to  do,  df  becaiire  (he  expell- 
ed to  fecurc  immediate  advatkages  as  an  equivalent  fofr 
tiiis  condefceniicfH ;  but,  whatei^er  the  lettef  d  thefe 
treaties  niay  hai%faid«  (he- has  rarely  aflted  in  conformi- 
ty to  th^m  Upon  this  points  In  pra£iice  (he  has  always 
adhered  tQ  the  imicient  maletm,  that  the  friendly  flag 
does  not  proteft  enemfs  property  i  when  fhe  has  purfu- 
tdz  contf^ary  condud^,  it  is  when  (he  has. been  obliged  ' 
to;  it  by.    leagtfeft    capable  of  overailiring  her,   as   iil 

The  above ;«  a  ftatcm'ertt,  «C  \^lucK  Mt.  Plfckcring; 
Itimfelf  will  not  queilion  the  candour.  I  proceed/ 
i^'rance,  in  gir  \  this  example  of  her  conftancy  in  main- 
taining the  modem  neutrality,  could  not  however  always 
*rifli  it  to  its  detriment*  ITiiar  would  iiappeA  if  Ihe  alone' 
admitted  it  in  favour  of  tlic  other  mamime  powers;  for/,ji 
in  this  cafe,  her  enemies  might  fhip  their  property  un- 
#6?  neutral  flag,  whith  Frao6«  i/ravU  be  obliged  to  r«^ 


m 


H      '.* 


I---' 


Wd 


.0 


(  ; 


I      i 


(i  • 


P 


ifpcdi  and  the  enemies  of  France   not  having,    ^{i% 
that  natiojj,  any  fimilar  ti;eqty,  the  property  that  Franc« 
i(tjjghi:   ihip  urd^ic  .diij:  fiag    would  enjoy  no   fccurityj. 
iii^  this*  Jrefp^dl/  the  fotnicr  government  cannot  bc»c- 
cuic^  of  having  been,  guilty  of  luch  an  oyerfight.    'fhc 
jpowers  wli.ch,  in  thqr  treaties  witk  us*  have  Itq^ateci 
ififfa^pur  of  theife  jprinciples,^   have  alfo  Ui^ulated  for ; 
them  with  England  )  Jhence  it  iioliows,  that  if  £iiglan<t 
\*  as  to  exc<;ute  her  treaties  ^itji  |Jli)ofe«  nations,  in  cafe  of  • 
iiieir  remaining  neiitirai,  vrt,  jnig|it  tranf|Mrt  6ur  prOf" 
Iperty  in  time  of  war,  ijnder  their  flag,  as  England  trarvl 
fports  heirs.     Hence  we  Iwve  ihore  thari  opec  irequured 
that  neutral  pow»»)r8,  ,w|,ofc  flag  was  infdltcd  b  our  de^ 
triiAent,  iJiould  force  j^ngland  to  execute  Jver  treaties^, 
ind  to  confirm  hertclf  10  tfi    fame  ppncigles. .  This  i« 
what  we  did  more  particularly  as  to  Holland  in  177.7.  _ 
Thisdcmw^  brought  about  the  rupture  between  that 
|)6wer  and  England  in  1780.     ,  .    ^       •    ^   ■•  * 

America  tiad  yet  ho  treaties  in  1776;  ih'bfc  (he  con^ 
fcrajSied  witiiuawefe,  a?  we  have  already  fjwd,  herfirl? 
j)hritical  €ompa£ls.  "^hen iecdgni?ing  in  tKofe  treaties 
the  prinpuples  of  modern  nltutrpiiy  'in  their  full  fcope, 
we  cdUM  not ,  furely ;  expeQ:  ^^that  the  un^4  States 
•would  confent,  in  thpif  polienor  ^eatiM|  to,  contrary 
princ^lts :  It  is  particularly  fhc  nature  t^^^hciir  ftipula* 
tipas  widx  Erigland  tjiat  wa(S  calciilated  to  embaxrafs  usi 
We  coulti  not  defife  tliat  that  power  (hould  be  at  liber-  ., 
ty  to  mike;  life  of  theiir  flag  af  its  pleafure,  while  the  fame  , 
advantage  fiiould  be  interdided  to  U3.         .       .  .* 

Such,    however,    is.  the  ftate  of  things  which  has  , 
been  brought   about  By  the  treaty  of   Lpndon.     Thd 
United  States  have  explicitly  abandQhed,  in  that  treaty,^ 
thfe  modeM  neutrality  •, 'whence  it  fefults  thai  Englan^; 
may  legally  plunder  us  under  the  American   flag,  ai.a 
tihkt  we  are  '.j  refpe£i  what  (he  places  under  that  flag; 

The  principles  of  neutrality  in  queftibri,  extend  alfo 
to  a  part  of  the  coriimerce  of  neutrals  liable  to  mi  ny 
difcuflions  j  it  is  the  fubjcdi  of  contraband.  Accordj 
ing  to  the  antient  law  of  natiotis,  all  that  was  Jcftined 
for  the  enemy,  all  that  left  an  cuemy 'sport  was  con- 
tmband,  and  more  particularly  articles  uted  in  naval  at 
]ai)d  arfenals  and  even  ^     vifions* 


v» 

if 
tt 
ti 
ir 
n 
a 
c 

P 

a 

* 

I 

1 

i 

t 
i 


IT. 


M. 


.,-  i 


li  iscafily  {i<!fteived  how  inconvenient  and  ruinoiii 
Ais   barbarous  rlile  mtift  be  to  nations  whofe  whole 
wealth  confift9  in'  the  exportation  of  thofe  articles  •,  hence 
if  is  the  norihfehi  pbwers  wlio  have  modified,  in  their 
tresi^ies,  this  antique  right.    At  this  day  the  modern  neu- 
trality rank*  aS  cdntraband  only  articles   fit  to  be  ufed 
iTttmcdiately   for  ofFertce   or  defetice,  and  thofe   which 
nM  be  wrought  before  they  can  be  ufed   in  this  way. 
afe  excluded.    Provifion?  are  contraband    otdy  in  the'^ 
c*fe6f  their  being  cartied  to  a  blockaded  and  befieged, 
pmii  fudh  ai-^  aUb  the  principles  of  our  treaty  of  x  7  78 

ai' tA  contraband.  ''■■■■  e' 

The  titaty  of  Londdrt  reebgnizes  the  ancient  laV^  ot, 
hitibns  in  this  rrfpca  ;  that  is,  it  makes  it  legal  for  £n^\ 
glirtldtd  feize  all  objcas  fit  for  (hip  yards,  which  thdj 
jmd'icljib  niight  bring  ue  5  wlitk  we  aire  to  refpeft  thofe 
faihc'atticles  carried  mto  England  under  the  fame  flag. 
As  to  fjrdtrifioris  it  is  It^ft  at  her  will  to  declatc  when  they 
aj«e<omribandi  that'is  fcizable,  when  gjiing  to  France 
or  to  our  colonies,  upoti  American  veflels.  . 

•This  difFererice,  farely,  is  Rrikitig,  and  yet  tftw  w, 
^atthe  citizen  Paftbret  finds  fcarcely  worthy  offlighlj . 
aniftiadverfioii.  Th^  difadvantaees  of  pur  ipmm  ar^,. 
paipablS  with  tw6  t^at»e«  fo  diflihiilar.  Have  we  not 
leVal  means  if  re-aaing  againll  fuch  a  ftate  of  vthirigs,  ^ 
afid  of  placttg  outfaves  precifcly  on  the  footmg  oii 
wfiich  England  firidsherfelf  ftandmg  i)y  her  trdaty  ? 

-There  weri^ <mly  two  means  of  ibihg  it:'    Firft,  hf 
caiiiife  <«tth'  a  fegHliitivB  decifion,  which  llioUld  fufpend 
tHe  tlaufes  bf  our  trjiaty  of  1778,  whieh  recognize  a 
d«lElHtie'fcGtit¥afyko  that  Which  is  fotittd  Ift  the  treaty  of  ^ 
L6hd6ri.'   Second,  by  a  Were  executive  a£k,  it  Was  in 
odit' power  to  taVe  advantage  of  thfc^  ad  article  of  tjie/, 
treaty  of  1 778,  which  guarantees  to^us  all  the  idVantagei 
of^riavigation  and  'commerce  whicH  might  be  granted  to 
o,t4l«r  poweV5,— anfi  place,  by  means  of  this  article^  the 
refiublic  upon  the  fame  footinjj  as  ^nglandi     This  is  th^ 
tcAd^hich  the  difeQoty  has  preferred:  It  iS  the  mq^ 
prbper,  and  isj  ftrifitly  c^^itutiprtal.'  The  other  would 
h^e  given,' perhaps,  a  firmer  bafis  to  its'fyftem  of  t|f 
ffifal*,  and  woul4  ha^-^rcvented  much  ckmoiiri     ^ 


,1  'I 


1% 


\i 


C    18    J 

It  is  here  that  to  c;ich  fliould  be  ftriftly  given  what 
h  his  due.     T'.e  dire£lory,  or  rather  the  minifters  of 
tht  diredlory  have  {he wn,  in  this  bufinefs,  fome  irrefo- 
lution,  and  a  defe£live  knowledge  of  the  fubje^k  they 
had  to  handle.     It  cannot  be  conceived  how  it  was  p<rf- 
/Ib!e  to  pafs  the  refolvc  of  the   14th  Mcflidor,  IVth  year, 
which  ordcra  the  cruifcrs  of  the  republic  to  a£l  towards 
neutrals,  as  the  Englilh  conduit  themfelves  towards- 
them. .    It  is  not  right  to  give  orders  to  the  armed  force 
to   a£l,  iji  circumftnnces  fo   delicate,  according  to  a 
fyftcm  of  which  the  principle  only  is  laid  down  to  them, 
and  of  which  the  cabinet  alone  poflefles  the  detail.     Did 
the  privateers  know  how  die  EngJiih  conduiled  them- 
felves towards  neutrals  ?  Were  they  acquainted  with, the 
dcclfions  of  the  admiralty  courts  of  London  ?  In  a  word, 
that  refolve  was  a  text  which  the  diredory  ihould  bave^/ 
given  for  development  to  an  intelligent  miniiler,  jmd  if 
it  w.ns  to  be  made  public,  it  (hould  only  have  iflucd  as  x^ 
warning  declaration  po  the  neutral  ppwers^  as  hasbcMi^Jt 
done  frequently  in  preceding  wars.  '  c^  |«ii 

Tlic  dei:r?c  of  the  1 2th  Ventofc^  which  was  pafTed  af- 
terwards^; gqcs  more   diredly  towards  the  obje£l ;  but 
lll^cs^  beyppd  it.    Tlie  minifter  of , j^ice,  whofed*;- 
pfirimetit,  bytheljyj  had  nothing  ^0.40,  yrith  the  buiS- 
nefs,  fte^ld.havc  "confined  Hmfdf  to  mc^  abfolutely 
c6-ordhiate  to  the  principal  obje£t,  and,not  JufFer  himfcdf 
to  be  led,  away,  by  the  infinuations  of  ignbirance  or  inte- 
rell,  which  have  forced  from  him  clau^a  that  are  Jncor- 
poratfed  in  wife  and  moderate  fyftcm  of  reprifals,  only 
•»s  fhey  give  ijt  an  odious  fhade.    The  minifter  who  baa  . 
d^awii  up  that  decree  will  readily  percejve  which  articl«^=, 
I  mean  to  fpeak  of;  He  ought  efpi^ially  not  to  have 
taken,  according  to  the  letter,  the  article  relative  -to 
plates,  which  is,  in  the  treaty  of  liondon,  a  common 
claufe,  and  imitated  /from,  a  fimilar  article  in  ours.   To 
fum  up,  I   fay  of  that  refplye,  that  tnc  dircdory  did 
f^ieif  duty,  but  that'  the   minifters  nave  miffed  doing 
theirs.  "This  refolve,  furh  as  it  ftands,  becomes  the 
folirce  of  a  croud  of  vcxatory  proceedings,  which  are  on- 
ly dltnmejti^al  to  the  end,  and  throw  much  embarrafp* , 
mehl  in  th,c  pegociation  which  is  about  being  opened.      ^ 


,/ 


■;if 

r    ■ 

if  '= 

'§ 

1 . 

fe 

f- 

1 1 

1  . 

y 


o 


C    »9    3 

The  decree,  fuch  as  it  ought  to  have  been,  would 
have  cxcitea  no  complaint  from  the  American  govern- 
ment i  or  if  that  government  had  made  any,  they  would 
have  bc6n  anfweredby  producing  the  treaty  of  London. 
But  now  they  complain,  that  we  go  further  than  that 
treaty  itfelf,  and  it  is  difficult  to  anfwer  this  objeaion. 

Thefe  acknowledgments  will  appear  ftrange  to  that 
fpccicsoFmen,  who  confider  the  nature  of  the  fubjed 
which  I  comment  on  as  their  exclufive  property,  and 
who  confider  the  ardent  friends  of  liberty  as  beuigs 
guided  by  paffion,  and  beyond  all  moderation. 

I  write  witlidut  the  intention  of  making  myfelf  friends 
imong  them,  and  my  only  view  i&  to  furnifh  data  to  iiu- 
partial  and  enlightened  men  :  I  neither  fcek  appl a i^e  nor 
fear  Wame.  There  arc,  befidcs,  fo  few  Ctuations  m 
which  one  can  fpeak  the  truth,  that  it  is  neceflary  to 
feizc  with  avidity  the  occafion  of  publifliing  it  when  it 

prcfcnti  itfelf.  .      .  t    ,   i 

We  have  examined  our  grievances,  and  wcif^hed  the. 
tneafurcs  of  reprifals  taken  by  the  government.  I  might, 
infupport  of  my  opinions,  have  cited  fragments  of  ths 
fpeeches  delivered  on  this  fubjea  in  the  late  extrapi-din 
nary  feffion  of  congreft-,  but  this  would  lead  to  ufelef^ 
prolixity.  I  invite  the  citizen  Paftoret  to  read  thofe 
,  fpeeches :  H€  may  find  in  them  a  model  for  dlfcuffions 
of  thiskindiWhc  wiH  learn  how  thefe  fubjeCls  are 
handled  in  a  leciflative  body.  There  remains  for  me  to 
fay  foracthing  of  the  circumftances,  political  and  moral, 
which  have  prepared,  ripened,  and  accelerated  the  pre- 
sent crifis,  and  throw  together  forae  ideas  on  the  means 
«f  terminating  the  differences. 

It  is  a  very  fingular  political  plienomenon  at  firft  view,^ 
to  fee  France  ready  to  draw  the  fword  with  America, 
her  pupil,  twenty  years  after  liaving  raifed  her,  or  at 
lead  after  having  contributea  to  raife  her  to  the  rank  of  . 
nations.  But  this  event  ceafes  to  furprize,  when  we  fee 
Lewis  XrV  in  a  conteft  with  that  Holland  which  Henry 
IV  and  Lewis  XIII  affifted  in  raifmg  triumphant  out  of 
an  unequal  conteft  with  the.houfe  of  Auftria  ;  and  that 
fame  houfe  of  Bragance,  which  owed  to  us  the  throne  of 
Portugalj  dctr  'tlelf  from  us  immediately  on  the  peacfe 
•f  the  Pyrenees. 


i 


m 


s^fe^S*"*^'.  / 


•»-^ 


V 


> 


.*" 


*4     t 


.\  . 


i   M  .3 

Whence  then  ari(es  thatfataUty  w)>|cU  lij»8  prQdace4 
|ho  proverb,  tliat  nations  und  governments  are  yngratef 
ful?  Is  the  fault  to  be  attributed  to  the.bit;n«<fi}^W.«r  19 
the  protected  ?  The  three  evciits  wb^jch  h|»ye  ahaye 
claimed  our  attc^ition  will  expbin  tlii?  ei^ig^pa.  jReijuuv 
ing  too  mych  on  the  part  of  he  who  con/ers  the  oWigai- 
tion  i  on  the  part  •(  the  obligedi  a  ftubbornefs  ftf  con, 
duel  which  afifcs  from  t^?  perpetual  (ufpicion  that  it« 
independence  is  menaced,  for  the  very  reajbn,  t^iat  (orayp 
ifoundation  might  he^  fuppofed  tp  exift  /or  (uch  prctenfir 
pns:  'ITiefe  arc  th<p  two  pringipjcs  Y^hich,  with  tjb^ 
flalhing  of  iriteref^s,  contribute  to  brcajt  alliances  found- 
ed on  envnent  ferviccs.  T^h^k  are  the  elements  whicli 
become  the  bafisi  of  tjhe  intrigue  of  powers,  which  h,vi% 
^n  intereft  to  fepjiiatjc  the  two  allles/^^ 

lioweYcr,  going  from  ^hg  general  to  thf  particular^ 
we  d^nt  pej^eive  that  Frarice  is  tP  be  reproacW  witl^ 
^cfpca  to  the  United  States,  a»  their  benchii^o^r.  I  take 
VP  ^c  treaty  0/  1778  j  J  fep  in  it  np  exdiifivp  ady?m, 
t^agc  in  CUV  fpor^  ^nd  1  am  far  frpni  CQufidcr|ng  th<x 
French  pegpcjators,  fritninal  p^  this  ^iccount.  fruf^ 
over  the  i;epprt5  pf  the  iwp  allJ€|J  ^wing  the  wa^,  frPin 
78,  when  ^c  began  to  CP-pp^rate,  tP  8? :  I  (cp  pp^hipg 
in  them  th^'t  looks  Jiljc  a  fuperipr,  ;}irrogating  to  Wtnfelf  a 
controu^fPver  a  fubprdins^te  po:^eT»  The  ^^Mjociatipn  of 
peace  heaps  the  meafute  tP  this  gec^rp'fity  :  The  inde- 
pendence' pf  America  was  m;jde  thcftm  pia  m"  oi"  p^ce^ 
XTiis  pir^lipin^ry  fixed,  ^be  alUcV  negpciatcd  feparately 
their  Jntetcfts,  fp  that  Uiere  cpijld  not  b^  rppm  for  evej^ 
tlie  flighteft  cpraplaiiits.    ^r.  Jay*  has  trici^^  ^  is  true, 

C'J  Taleyrand  Perigord,  the  pref^nt  French  pjinifter  , 
of  foreign  affairs,  appear*,  by  a  pubiication  which  ya»  giyen 
with  his  p^ipe,  (hoTiiy  after  hi?  J^ffiT^al  in  VrapQC,  toliavfj, 
had  more  correct  notions  on  thij  (i)b|ev:t>  The  iod^ucnce, 
which  our  commercial  connections  with  Enj^^an^  hav?  upo;t\ 
our  politics*  is  the  chief  cj^uife  of  the  alienation  of  our  adfii:.- 
niAration  ft-ora  If  ranee  and  predilection  for  Britain.  And 
this  caute  will  op^rrate  until  the  French  can  rivil  th^?riti$\ 
vith  their  manufactares  ini)ur  iparket;  or  wntiltht  agricnl* 
tural  part  of  our  nation  determine  no  longer  to  drav  their 
politics  with  their  merchandize  from  our  commercial  cities. 

I'rqn.ifator* 
*  One  or  the  Arhrrican  plenipotentUries  at  Tm\^  \]>t  Ti^^tiff^ 
^Sncd  the  treaty  vi(Ub  Engiaad  in  1794.  '   > 


&-i 


.   1 


f   V   3 

pa  raifcdoiulr  over  this  a^gotiation,  nndlias  aecufed  bur 
cabinat  :  Already   in  1783  be  mt«iitated  to  ground  cm 
thcfc  accufationa,  a  fyikim  of  iktruaion  and  ciiluinny, 
direa«l  againft  thcjJefctved  *nf!uence  whU>h  the  war 
ffavc  U8  in  America.     From  timt  time   his  confidentiiU 
tools  have  not  ceafed  to  retail  the  fame  .calunmiCB  i  until 
atlaft  the  federal  government  has  judged  fit  to  mtro- 
duce  rhcm  in  it?  manifefto  of  the  *6th   January  laft. 
Rut  thefe  v;un   attcn»pt8  will  he  baffled  by  the  fadU 
which  co:itra<Ua  \o^diy  our  detrivaors,     Tl»e  jjeac^-  of 
'B3  does  not  prove  that  Frange  has  cowtertaed  the  uh 
tcreils  of  Awcrica :  It  prove3  wily  (and  this  incident  i» 
due  to  ^U-  Jay)  that  the  American^  tHfringcd  the  agree* 
ment  wivch  the  allies  had   mad«.  of  not   tigmng  oi*<S 
vrithout  thcothws//;     Is  F«aqe  to  be  criminated  tor 
having  been  unwiUing  to  divide  wiiU  the  U«ited  btute« 
her  fi«wfoundJand   fiOierie*  i   h  (he  culpable  for  not 
having  fuftaincd  agai.ift  Spain,  l»er  ancient  ;Ulv,  pre. 
t^fio^s  tending  tp  her  dfttriwcntandiupported  by  Mr* 
Im,  for  the  foje  ei?d,  perhaps,  of  hftvmg  a  pretejct  for 
complaint  ?  U  Mi.  Ofwald,  empowered  to  treat  with  tiic 
Americans,^  in  tlic  name  of  Great  Britain,  did  raifc 
doubtft  of  the  fincerity  of  France  in  the  ncgociattons, 
are  we  rather  to  believe  that  France  was  perfidious,  than 
retort  thefefu^cionsuppa  Mr.  Ofwald  and  upott  his 

"^ItT/eafy  at  this  day  to  undcrftand  in  this  fabulous 
narration  what  belongs  to  its  author:  His  Moufy 
againft  FranUin  j  the  ilings  which  his  pride  hud  felt  at 
Madrid :  The  c»centrieitie8  of  thofe  two  paflions  which 
naturally  difturbed  the  mind  of  Mr.  Jay,  by  raifmg  a 
thoufand  phantoms,  arc  the  ingredients  of  which  hii 
hatred  for  ^^  is  made  up,  and  conftitute  the  quahficationj 
which  have  rendered  him  worthy  of  figmng  the  treaty  ot 
J^ndon,    From  this  it  is  eafy  to  bring  10  its  true  ttand, 

rr)  If  France  had  taken  umbrago  at  this  ftcp,  whi?li  it 
appe^s  >vas  pro.nptcd  by  Mr.  Jay,  >vhat  would  have  bjea 
tbe  fituatiDS  of  the  United  States?  It  gave  her  gocd  region 
ior  breaking  with  us;-lhe  mi^ht  have  patched  "P  h«^n«»-«;«  ' 
with  England,  and  have  left  us  to  laaiotam  a Jlecond  flru-sr* 
Vith  that  power,  and  fingly.  Tramhtur^ 


^     i 


m 


»«i»j,iiii«r.  -■■■ 


'I    i 


\: 


k 


.4 


¥-,, 


C    21    3 

ard  that  part  of  the  manifefto  of  the  i6th  January,  whlck 
develops  our  pretended  perfidy  from  the  very  outfet  of 
cur  allianac,  and  the  clue  of  the  ridiculous  artifice,  by 
menus  of  "wliicli  Mr.  Pickering,  prompted  by  Mr.  Jay, 
has  hoped  to  deceive  the  Americiin*  on  the  fubje£i  of 
lour  lomj-.hintft,  i,i  eafdydifcovered. 

lown,  that  fiucetltcbej/inning  of  the  revolutiui ,  we 
arc  liable  to  fonfe.l'eproacheg.*  'IThe  National  Conven- 
tion, atT^w^iK-girtniffg -of  its  fenion,  wiftied  to  acquire 
the  j»ood  wilhftilhWNderal  f;ovcrnment,  by  accufinif  our 
former  {.-[ovcrnment^  pcrfuly.  Thcfc  aflertions,  found- 
ed oo  prcfumption  anddOntradiftcd  byfafls,  ought  ne- 
ver to  be  utttred  by  a  government  fuccc^ding  another; 
It  was  wrong  no  record  the  fiiVw  idea  and  the  fame  error 
in  the  inftrudlons  of  the  Miniitcr  Genet,  which  have 
been  made  public  in  the  United  States  j  and  Genet  wai 
IHII  niore  in  the  wrong  to  ifluc  that  publication  j  but  the 
proclamations  of  the  Convention,  or  the  inftruflions  of 
the  MiniUer  can  never  convince  in  oppofiiion  to  fa£l4 
which  one  word  is  fufBcient  to  rcftore  to  perfe£l  puri^' 

I  alfo  grant,  that  cirricd  away  by  the  torrent  of  cir-' 
cumltanccs  j  fowered  by  an  oppofition  which  he  juftly 
attributed  to  a  fcctct  ill-will  j  thrown  out  of  the  bounds  of» 
moderation  by  the  dangers  of  his  country,  and  more 
anxious  to  arrive  at  his  end,  than  ftudious  to  comba*  the 
pretexts  on  which  the  Federal  government  leaned  to 
oountcradt  him,— Genet  comr  '  ■^ev^  faults ;  cairied  the 
praife-worthy  firmnefs  of  a  mmitcr  I  eyond  w^at  his 
pofition  permitted,  aiul  fub^  >  :  i  netimes,  to  the 
manly  pride  which  beoomcs  an  agent  attached  to  his 
country,  the  language  of  indignation,  which  is  never 
fucccfstully  ufed  in  diplomatic  affairs.  I  grant,  that  bi- 
'.ifled  by  example,  and  fowered  by  the  fame  circumftan- 
ces*,  ourconfuls  fometimes  pafTed  the  bounds  of  ftrift 
propriety,  and  beyond  the  fphere  of  their  authority.  But 
could  this  juftify  the  hoftile  iyftem  which  we  daily  pcr- 
et'ived  developing  itfelf?     Has  not  the  French  govern- 

•  1  do  not  pretend  to  ju(I«;e  Hic  Confuls  without  appeal;  tlieJr 
noiives  were  as  pure  as  their  paiiiotifm:  It  gratifies  me  to  pay 
tliem  here  tile  tribute  of  myefteem  ;  aniJ  1  muft  openly  exprefs  my 
furprife  at  the  povernment  peimitting  their  zeal  andtheir  itX'^tA*  ta 
len-^in  in  inaiflivity,  \t\iX\t\—/e(l fuftrant,  &c. 


nitnt  even  in  the  mlilft  of  the  greatcft   political  ftofnUi 
fhcwn  ursir.uricjbkcagcrncfs  to  rearefHthe  foumlcd  grier- 
anccs  which  h^rc  been  prefcnted  to  them?  Has  not  thet»  i 
the  denunciation  of  Genet  by  Rob^fpiere  at  the  J;.':o- 
bin  club  \  thb  cruel   order*  dircd>ed  againft    ihnt  Mi- 
nifter,  ami  which  have  deprived  tlw  Republic  of  one  of 
its  finccreil  friends,  been  able  to  ex^iiguifh   the  flnmes 
of  <  rcfcntmcnt  I  Haie  not  the  comiiufiees    of  Vubho 
Safety  of  the  dd  and  ofthc  3d  yeari^ptacti  the  neutra- 
lity iwranteedtto  the  United  Stiiiitll|^fh«tPeaty  of 
1I78,  as  rciitfoufly  as  famine,  andifci  favagc  wattcam- 
edin  agairia  us,  permitted  ?  Was  It  not  at  the  moment     ; 
when  the  means  of  fatisfyin^  fome  complamts,  made  by  ' 
the  Miniftcr  Mr.  Monroe,  wtre  utuler  difc«ffion  at  Paris. . 
that  Mt.  Jay  figned  in  London  the  ttqaty  which  wa*».to 
ftrikfc  a  Wow^atour  honor  and  our  interefts'v  fo  fure  as  tor  * 
giyc  Mr.  Pktthc  occafion,  at  the  opening  of  the  ntx« 
feifion  ofParHaracpt,  to  make  it  a  fubjc6t  of  ttiumphT 
Let  the  partlzans  of  the  Federal  government  anfwet  thefc 
q£fttoD8,  and  then  wc  may  ccafc  to  believe  that  a  leaven 
of  hatred  had  pofljeflion  of  its  mind,  and  that  it  feizcd 
with  eagernefs  the  opportunities  which  afforded  a  plau-  > 
fible  pretext  of  putting  afide  the  jm^. 

Every  thiilg  proves,  in  faft,  that-  hatred   as  much  a» 
the  confcioufneU„of  wcakhcfs  guided  the  American  ad- 
minlftration  in  it«  conduft  towards  us.     General  Waih- 
ington  oeafed  to  view  our  rcVttlution  with  a  favourable' 
eye,  as  foon'as  he  faw  La  Fayette  and  the  king  ftruck, 
whom  he  delighted  in  calling  the  protedor  and  father  of 
his  people.     Ml  the  individuals  who  compofed  his  coun- 
cif,  except  Mr.  JifFerfoni  all  thofe  who  had  the  right, 
by  their  reputation  and  their  former  fervices,  to  influence 
his  condua  through  their  correfpondencc,  excepting  the 
Moultries,  the  Livingftons,  the  Clintons  and  the  Samu- 
el Adams',  all  were  united  againft  U3  and  ftrengthened  : 
him  in  his  hoftile  intentions.*  It  is  the  general  opinion 

•  LeJ  us  attend  to  a  Member  of  Congreft  from  VlTginia,  on  the 
fubjea  of  this  marked  hatred  of  a  certain  claf«  «f  nvn  lor  France. 
anU  the  extraordinary  Infinuations  whi^hthe  Biiti(h(««ion  throw  out 
againft  the  frienda  to  principles  and  of  liberty,  of  being  under  foreign 
influence.  "  1  hear  calumny  attacking  the  amendment  whjeh  I  pro- 
nott  {  and  becaufe  its  tendency  is  to  conciliate,  accufing  me  of  bemt 
(mUer  French  influcncp :  Siran|0  phantom,  \7bich  is  ufcd  to  depre. 


-''>■ 

'«'. 


•r  H 


'  _?lii'»  i'^'*'''l, 


m '.  i 


# 


•v< 


fr  24'  T 

that-Mf*  Talflin cniTif-  to-Fhifaiddphia on  a" contfiflendal 
mi^fioa  from  the  pretend??:  Ht  wa»  admitttrf  to  a  very 
p^kmculat  audiepoe  with  the-Prefitisnt^  befbre  the  ar- 
r  Ural  of  th^  Misifter  Gendt  at  Phiia4klphia.  To  the  ia- 
riiMi3tkM*a  oi  that  envoy  mwii?  be  attributed  the  fiivio* 
of  cHicftions  upon'  vk4itc'h  GohoraF  Vi  a^ingtbn  required 
the  opinion*  of  hi»  Mi«iftcrs,  and  which  atch«l6cfa^il  to 
the  Pr«rid«nt,  has  ftnpt>  oiithe  veil  of  fecrecy  which 
ought  forei||h.to  h«ve  concealed- tham.  Mr.- Himtltoti 
^^s  thc$  fo^^df|tt|M»t  id)f«i«nlity:}  and  this  writings 
wjthf  whieb  ^'CpwP|^e  p»p«ra#  imdra*  the  fignatare  of 
Pae^mjhr  W^ro/  f<«)eandtng/toi  ^  itlceHhood,  the  juftifij 
cation  and  d«veiOp«Re»t  erf  the 'opinions  which  1^  ex-^ 
prefled  in  cot|»eilfc . 

Whj»*  vmf  tc^beeiij»c€l8d  firottr  ail  adriiiniflafatidn  .tefet^i- 
<Ufltly  iHfdifpofcd  agftioftthferinfant'ftepoblic?   All  tha*^' 
has  bees  feen  to  have  fallowed,:  A  w^vcuiagjftBu.^lity,- 
abaiidonfid^o  tlie  inflneiiccof  lile^and?  fomii  cdndefeen^i* 
tion8jfairi»tRkf»hef  extwtsedi  bf  thci  unequjvocalgood'wi!!' 
o(  ta€  nation-;  ;btt4iii fad):/. eontradided  by  «idbs-m»^5il  r 
with  the  (l  t93pid£ma)eirbk}nce  «  a>gveair  •eagernci&to  ie- 
cure  %h«  ady9nl»gQ»>w]»ick<ctrouiia)ftnnces  anda  f«w  tt-i' 
rors  of  our  agents  ofiittoad^  Jn  oticterto  bringto  c«>nfttm-i< 
tnation  the  lav0ovit«t>n)jiQ£l  offdrawir^  ek&ii  to  Ei^|l»id, 
apd  |Nr«p»rii*g-Uie  triUoip&'HjIihit  povvsii' 

rt«#fcthtmoftu]Uixl!er«ae(JLBpii»ii>n«.-  Butlctfjii^s  M )n"nisfaMbr^ 
ward;  let  atiy  itNiVroper  cvhnedio'ii  be' r|Veciii.!(l    bvtw^Q  «  fineli 
Members!  JJJKKirefnblV'And-tt  fottjgn  poWw,    let  "th«-  triltbl's,'  if' 
tlKrc«re«n)r,rber:pa»at«^Oiinan<£levihftmM  pttikHhed;!    I  iRffrte.^ ' 
«;u(iF(l  of  being  arongljf  4Um.heil  tft  Fraiift. .  Ttva  ll|(loty  oftlMKAOM 
iat;»rftem  ii  qitiitf  DJKuul.     WlienI  firfttoaJc  my  feat  in  thil  bqflft 
France  was «flente»d'«nii!Hilej-wMh  Mifirttmhwintntj- «•*  ttVtrtli  ^ 
to-  Liberty;  asthe  Cnt%ea  •tn  frM  ft«K,'  louMit  )f^^ttt;(>er;isMUt(  < 
Ki^emcMitvf^  i)(  ryiiipaUiyfora.^ople-tawlMlBvtyFaHt^fffMteie^flwiritiie  f 
of  felfi-goveram^ht  ?    Was  Inot  to  feet  it  the moieas  I  had  feen  mr  r 
cmri4-9u    iylnafimllai'AtdtiioivMdt  uTilim)«yriit-tHi<i>da^  tliSt 
ihUpMnof  theoabirwtvt  SiJ  famn*  wt«  ta  atuik  «i>y  if  4h«M»W.' 
tion   had  triumpheii  ?  AHsthrc-rewfan  in>prei&d.Me'ili|aB|;ly  r«ri|t4(  ' 
this  attaoli'mehf  fbir+>ance.     Wfien  I  arrivcJ  in  f  hiladelphia,  v  h»t 
H-as  my  aUorii(hment  to  find  a  tr.tal  indiflerence  at  to  the  event*  c,f 
I«ro|»«!  Iownttiisradi»t;jreBceOioil#<tmp|  I  o*>»t}rtt't(hiidd«t^ii 
tvhen  I  pcrceived.it  wa«  iV^urwkd  on  an  aiH»pi*Jgst)»*t  Iftlk  <THg^iHl»<t 
*i;aiR»tepuhUcan  forma..  A  natural  iTrci>iK«4«  redh.g  Im^dled  hrt 
t{»op|>oCeit,his  torrent,  undil  thought  it  my  dutv  wpcfjly  to^xpte^ 
•<«UMrf»q>hi»aii6/'— 5]pvr*io/,.V^l  Nft^ifM'i'-jktikgvf^fif  xidfH^'- 


\.A 


\       I. 


\    f 


k 


%s.  I 


Hie  oijlv  oVftaclc  m  the  way  of  that  prpj^a  was.  tU 
njarlc€4  attochment  9f  the  nation,  for  bur  cnufe.  Confe- 
qijentry  tflc  adfti^niftiati&n  has  qmi.ted,  nothing  for  fivo 
y^atsba^,  to  depreciate  our'charaaer  in  the  public  opi- 
niom  '  T^  nc^jr/Rapew  which  are  known  to  be  under  it» 
in^Uence,  aije  fijled  with'  inveifl^v^  and  perfonalities 
againi  this  Republic  and  againltit8;agentgr/The  goyern- 
i^sii^  <if  tlie  Repjfblic.at  ef«?  pmo^i|i|luijder every 
^ciii,'  t^p  tiie'very  Tateft  4a"iysIj|||p|4ipthofe  Ga- 
2ette8^ 'covei;ed  \yith  qaljimpji  jSffmntediti  die  molt 
aJuUvft njani^et.  If  tljc  kedaffeuf,  [a  Frqnch  paper  un^ 
det^  influence  ofithe  DircaoryJ-hajd  contained  againft 
tlie  I^edcR^  gbvernnaifnt  the  hundredth  par.t  of  what  is 
daiiy  to  be  foiindin  ^^ Gazette ^(^iheUmted  States ^  apinft 
th^^iyeaiofy,   t^/lie^^^^^  an4.  in  general 

Mint!  th^  Repfibljc,  Ipngago  fpnie  deputies,  forward 


atrqin 

% 

caUir 


l3^  £91^  te^fon  pcijiaps,  wpd  maae  amotion 

•Jliui^ep^^ioryVs"?  account  P  fubjeft.  A  wri- 
.ter,"pubUcly  ^qufntpib^  in  the  ^ay  of  the  Britiih  lega- 
tidiH  pHbJ4"ies^  periodically.  ii»  P.hijaddlj^ia,  themofta- 
trpciouaiibers^i^nli^^s*;^  a^d  iti»  almoft  certain  that 
tliis/iibdiler'ij^enccw^f^j^ed'by  aUjhj^^^  compofc  tl>e 

admi;ii|tratipi?< 

n|u^  a  fyft^^  QPUM  nP'  lp«$.lKWe  efcapa^  ^^  ^T^\' 
jaa<)ljvcrAoa  of  V^e  ^rencih  government,  had  not  a  multi- 
tude ojf  ca^a.  tivett;^4,^!^^  *.*^^t*P'*  ^^  ^W"ppe,  and  vj^ith- 
oiijr the  cqntjradi^bry  account^  pf  the  djif^r.ent  individu- 
als emglbygd,  19  tjii^  Wan<;h  of  our  foreign,  affairs,  who 
a^dcd,%y^^ei^  v^ipw^s  ftorjes^to  theernbarraflrmcnt  ere- 
atftfl^^y ,  t^jfrgurplAnpes^  "^very  tjijng  w.as  aVandpned  to 
t6d  cb|ij|^(^ln^  paffipni  pf-fom?  rnen,  or  elfe  to  th^,  moft 
aSlpit^^  ci^Wi  ^ijdbi|r/§oy^m^  njcddled  not  in 
tfte;4iTel£|io9.  qCPV>T,  J^Ut^^aTrelauona  withi  that  ppwer^ 
eicej^bj^a  femig[jeij^of|g.99d  wjill»  ly^ich  when. unacr« 


lengA^  thj^|ir"ij:q|xMct»  ^v;ho.  arrived.  wWle  the  S^nat<; 
^s  ditiberating  upon  the  tireaty'of  tiondon,  appeared 
itCHfilFi^^W^WVM^^  to  kayn  that  thes^  wa»  a  tircaty 

*  Hb  nan*  ir  C«bbel,  and  lie  writet  un#cr  the  namt  of  PetQf 

P 


»**.<■'. 


ri 


.m 


i-*i...^jfcj_^"jSiat.' 


,t' 


^  • 


^ 


C      2<^      "I 

with  England  on  the  carpet.   It  is,  no  doubt,  to  th*e  pro^* 
found  filenceof  oureovernmentonthisfubje£l,  whehhc  left 
Paris,  that  we  mu(l  attribute  the  paiTive  line  of  condu£t 
he  has  held  in  circumftances  fo  important.     Genet  had 
given  the  alarm  on,  the  real  intentions  of  the  adminiftira- 
tion }  but  his  conduct,  his  paflions,  rendered  his  reports 
fufpefted,  and  other  paflions,  interefted  in  a  contrary 
diredion,  have  npde  promifes  which  have  only^  ended  , 
in  prolonging  our  fecurity.  As  foon  as  the  conftuutional 
government  wai^fettled,  and  that  the  Direftory  was  in 
a  fituation  to  follow  any  fyftem  as  to  external  afiairs,  it 
could  not  be  long  without  perceiving  how  we  had  been 
the  dupes  of  America.     The  treaty  of  London  had  com- 
pletely opened  all  eyes:  The  material  change  which  waa 
openly  efFefted  in  the  neutrality  of  the  United  States,  by 
virtue  of  that  treaty,*  has  put  thefeal  of  duplicity  and 
of  falfhood  on  the  aflurances  fo  often  repeated,  that  the 
treaty  Ihould  make  no  change  in  the  ftate  of  things  which 
exifted  prior  to  that  treaty.     The  United  States,  on  the  ' 
firft  intelligence  of  our  awakening,  "took  for  hoftilitics 
theendingof  our  exceflive  and  patient  toleration.  General 
Wafhington,  feeing  the  end  of  his  political  career  darken^ 
ed  by  clouds  which  announced  a  ferious  difcontent  on 
the  part  of  the  Republic,  fought,  by  a  mieafure  equaHy 
ur.juft  and  impolitic,  to  efcape  its  odiums  He  irecallcd 
Mr.  Monroe,  who  has  been  guilty  of  the  vprong,  accor- 
ding to  his  view  of  things,  of  being  attached  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  our  revolution,  and  of  being  the  open  enemy 
to  Britilh  influence,  as  well  as  to  the  fyftem  wluch  that 
influence  hadcaufed  to  be  adopted.    He  believed  it  in 
his  power  to  throw  upon  Mr.  Monrocj  and  upon  his  par- 
ty, all  the  blame  arifing  from  the  a£lual  ftate  of  things, 
by  accufmg  him,  as  it  were,  of  having  caufed  it.     The 
refult  of  this  falfe  ftep  has  been  to  leave  the  Dirfeftory 
abandoned,  without  any  counterpoife,  to  its  fufpicions; 
this  event  has  confirmed  and  encreafed  them,  and  our 
meafures  have  become,  more    decifivc.     Far  from  ex- 
plaining our  condu£t  as  it  was  natural  by  the  lyfterai 

•  The  French  mi nifter  was  notified,  after  the  exch«ngfrOf_  ririfi- 
ca  ions,  that  weftiould  no  longer  enjjy  the  advantage,  which  till 
tlicii  had  bean  grantei  uj,  to  fell  in  the  American  port*  our  Eng;* 
)i(fa  prizes. 


j*H4»»71U*., 


<: 


"1  i 


C    n    3 

WKich  had  been  purfued  heretofore,  topics  of  recrlmina- 
^lori  hive  been  fought  for,  and  if  poflible  to  bring  about  a 
"r^ipturc.  It ^aseafy  to  fower  the  mercantile  clafles,bypre- 
Tcilting  them  with  tlie  fpedacle  of  the  loffes  which  our 
teprifals  muft  h?.^"£  pccafioned  j  and  to  irritate,  at  the 
fame  time,  the  minds  of  the  reft  of  the  nation,  our  con- 
duft  has  been  teprcfentetl  to  them  as  the  confequence 
of  a  fyftem  long  matured  by  France,  for  ufurping  in 
the  United  States  an  abfolute  infl  uencc.  General  Wafli- 
jri^tonhad  (ketched  pUt  the  phaiitom'df  this  plan  in  the 
tiddrefs  which  preceded  his  retirement^  Mr.  Adams 
completed  it,  and  eyeh  coibured  it  witffmore  warmth 
than  could  have  been  fuppofed  to  belong  to  him  at  firilj 
lb  that  at  tliis  day  the  merchants  have  been  made  to  be- 
lieve that  we  wi{h  to  ruin  them,  and  declare  v/ar  agaitift 
diem,  and  the  people  that  we  wifh  to  enflave '  their  go- 
vernment. 

The  Executive  Direftory  after  having,  by  vigorous 
mcafures,  caufcd  the  French  nation  to  be  refpeiled,  dnd 
fheltercd  our  interefts  from  the  attacks  diiredled  againft 
them  by  the  Tederal  govfernment,  ought  to  npgleft  noth- 
ing to  deftroy  thefe  falfc  imprefuoos,  by  which  we  Ihould 
be  foon  reduced,  atPhiladelphia,  to  play  a  part  unworthy 
of  the  republic  :  It  ought  to  trace  out  for  its  agents  a 
line  of  conduft  which  fhall  fhelter  us  equally  from  the 
fufpicion  of  an  improper  interference  hi  their  hiternal 
affairs,  and  of  an  indifference  which  provokes  contempt. 
All  the  delufrOns  which  the  adminillration  attach  to  our 
name,  fliould  vanilh  before  this  open  condudl.  We 
h^ve  fo  much  to  gain  by  conciliating  the  efteem  of  a  nati- 
on where  the  public  opinion,  notwithftanding  the  intrigue 
of  a  foreign  power,  has  yet  prefer  vcd  the  remains  of 
independence,  not  to  try  this  fyftem  which  mull  in  the 
long  run  triumph  dver  prejudice^ 

The-  United  States  are  generally  either  too  little  re- 
garded, or  efteemed  much  beyond  their  importance. 
Both  extremes  are  the  refult  of  fdiffv;rent  judgments  up- 
on the  morals  of  that  nation.  Some  fee  in  them  only 
a  collection  of  Jews,  bufy  in  deceiving  each  other;  wh^e 
others,  carried  away  by  an  enthufiafm  as  little  founded, 
find  there,  compared  to  Europe,  models  of  wifdom  and 
of  virtue. 


fO    f. 


i^i 


'<  'j" 


:^. 


% 


liut  tKcfe  contrary  opinions  are  formM  on  a  %i%i  jj 
which  the  ftateiman  ought  not  alwi^Vto  aTk'w  mu^h 
impoitancci  the  natioi^al  manners  o*Jghtnot  tobcppWi- 
dered  as  an  infallDiie  datum  to  j^dge  thc-pepplc.    Ihfo- 
pcn^entiy  qf  what  thefe  manners  maj  have  cither  prittfc 
worthy  or  Wamcatie  in  America,  there  is  an  iiicoirtcitib^ 
truth,  at  which  we  muft  flop,  to  make  of  it^the .ground 
work  of  a  fyftcm  to  be  putfued  reipeaing  that  power  •, 
it  is  thp  importance  to  which  the  linked  States  are  ^r- 
led.   That  impprtance  w  fo  much  the  more  certain,  that 
the  developn^ents  which    muft  biiijg  'ijt    abou'»    ^"* 
not  be  checked  by  any  6t  the  obftacles  wliich  would  pp- 
pofe  it,  if  the  United  States  were  lb  fitua^d  as  to  be  fi^- 
ble  to  be  involved  in  the  dificntions  of  Europe.     «   » 
vainly  attempted  to  attri"bute  to  circumftances,  Ac  pro* 
grefs  which  the  tFnited  States  have  made,  fince  the  adop- 
tion of  their  new  copftitution,  a  period  when  the  mtcr- 
nal  troubles  of  France  and  the  misfortune  of  its  colonies 
began.    Independently  of  tliefe  accidental  caufes,  the 
United  States,  by  the  extent  of  their  territory,  the  nature 
of  their  population,their  charafter  and  a£Vivity,andby  the 
fituation  pf  their  coafts,  are  evidently  called  to  exercife, 
inNorth,l\Tnerica,aconfiderablc  influence.    The  pow- 
er which  ihail  know  how  to  conciliate  them  will  find 
in  theiA  an  intfjrefting  friend,  and  their  nfcutralil^y  wiH 
perhaps  be  not  lefs  to  be  courted  rlian  thdr  alliance. 

France  has  a  ftrong  intereft  to  prcferve  a  good  undcr- 
ftanding  with  America.  It  is  lefs  the  fituation  of  her 
Welt  indies,  which  command  it,  than  the  pofitionof 
Spain,  which  might  tun  the  greateft  dangers  by  the 
combined  efforts  of  England  and  the  United  States. 
Whatever  may  be  the  afcendancy  which  commerce  has 
given  to  England  in  the  whole  extent  of  tliofe  ftates,  we 
Ihall  always  be  able  to  oppbfe  fuccefsfully  all- political 
ties  which  that  power  might  wifli  to  eftablifli  with  them, 
if  we  may  judge  by  the  adual  ftate  of  the  commerce  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  one  migk 
be  led  to  believe,  that  the  firft  are  a  colony  of  the  latterv 
or  fear  left  they  iliould  once  again  become  fo.  This  i» 
the  opinion  which  the  miniiler  of  foreign  afiairs brought 
with  him  from  Philadelphia,  and,  for  having  expreflcd 
diis  opinion,  he  has  dcfdrvedly  drawn  upon  himfelf  ;hc 


"  41s 


i  ■#' 


pill 


4ielSiAA^%it!i  %hi<ih  tt  lips  bcen(pubRfiilea,  tf6ftk  ib 

AtfAfektt  dttfc,  Uy  t^*te  itttb  calctilahon  Ac  cffca  'bf  «te 
iiitiihs/d^s  hc'l&l  'fbiAScd  in  thcUrtJtkia  Stilte^  Hc^r- 
^Vgr,  Ke^biildl^c  wtbtlg  if  Ixe  'tlHtticc  crindirted  <ha(t  It 
Is  Mt'td'TeiVc  the'iniJtiidStitesteiH^feSVcs,*and  tre^t 
Ih^iS  'SiviUi  the  tdhtWrtAt,    this^rtidh,  -ttrhiai  is  ndt 

mUk  AiS  ttoMfe,  Whiit  the  aiMfnHH3aripft|«)rider^de 
kviis \  £ftpA«,  ioid  tjVtfeii  tp  tiVM,  m  #Mi(mt.fbri>6 

^it  the  tJMtci 'States  and  the  RytitiMic^?'te,  in  trihA, 

In  a  pomion  mkh  mtSft  JnfpHr  fears  f^:?;;^^ 
JTrah^erpecaily.^asS^rtr  fttdrtg  tilbtiVfesttridho^ 

the  tmUia'Saf^SliiVeftcwMi^^  ^"d  |j*eca* 

«6us  preteib  to^Guttd  ^eir  rettrJmmttcftiS  <ii)on ;  'but 
the  iwo  pebple  ii^  W^fiftJljIy  Hrii?wh  towards 'each  otHttt 

eLgeacfotceof  a  ^^^^^n.^,^f^^'r^^^l 
rnotives  for  reftHidn  (Wdit  to  a^  wiA  kreai  ^*^  "f  ^ 
the  tNvocabme^,  atid  Sheck,  <in^oA  Mcs,  iiJ.e^fl^M 
ind  pride  VKi<%  tnlght  tend  to  crNbartdfs  ^e  teo,^ 
tibn.  'Whatever  warmth  the  Bntannic  pattvhas  Ihevhi 
in  Its  declamatibns  in  'cdngrefsi  IX'hcn  reftored  to  tbc 
calmbfrefeaion,  ^ni!  Ittterroj^ated  when  their  pbhticaT 

averfions  n-^,  they  muft  f-^^,/ ^^Y  P-«^^^^  g^^^^r 
nant  of  riatibiial  feeling,  that  Erigfand  tanrrot  hi*e  Vith 
the  United  StatCTnnideitity  of  iHteri^  i  that  fooner  or 
later  her  dcffru'aiive  afeeridatacy  \<r(ftAi  iKftitc  laws  to 
them  ;  that  Artieirica,  far  fi-om  having  any  irrtcreft  to 
dimimfliTng  tlie  w^ght  of  the  cbuntcrpbTfe  which  we  op- 
pbfcto  flie  marrtitfie<ibm'inion  of  England,  rtiaft,  on  the 
contrary,  defire  tt>  fee  us  combat,  whh  fbine  fuccefs, 
that  rival  of  dl  that  profper.  ^  n.  ■  e.  ■  ^u^ 
.  We,  on  our  fide,  liave  a  great  intereft  m  fivoting  the 
development  of  a.e  maritime  refources  of  America,  ih 
order  to  dTminilh  the  Eti^ifh  power,  by  taking  from  it 
^ilthat  does  not  reft  upon  th«ir  own  capital.      ine 


y 


C    3^    1 

XJnitcd  $tatC8  hare  nothing  to  wifti  with  rafpcifl:  to  tyL* 
tcnfion  of  teiTitory.  The  deceitful  lure  which  England 
co.uW  hold  out  to  them,  by  promifing  them  our  fpoIU, 
or  thofe  of  JSpain,  would  be  ruinous  to  them  in  its  re- 
fult,  whatever  might  be  the  {Uccefs  of  the  combination 
which  this  lure  might  produce.  Every  thing,  therefore, 
prompts  them  to  negociate  candidly,  and  to  draw  clofef 
to  us.  Let  Mr.  Adams,  efpecially,  feel  the  importance 
of  the  part  he  has  to  aft;  let  him  forget  little  dUhket 
which  years  ought  to  have  cooled,  and  which  his  ftation 

'  ddes  not  permit  him  to  lillen  to.  The  Prefident  of  the 
United  States  ought  not  to  avenge  the  imaginary  injurie$ 
which  the  American  plenipotentiary  may  have  received 
in  1782.  There  is  no  longer  need  of'  recalling  little  ri- 
valries, riow  without  obje£l,  fince  the  cotemporaries 
fleepin  the  filent  tomb.  Whatever  niay  be  faid  of  his 
charafker,  and  o^  his  enmity  towards  us,  we  have  every 
thing  to  hope  from  the  reftitude  ^  of  his  judgment  j  but  .  , 
let  him  keep  at  a  diftance  thofe  men  who  will  continually 
rekindle  in  his  bofom  the  fi.e  of  pafllons,  n\  hkh  it  is  im- 
portant for  them  to  perpetuate;  Icthiin  take  the  pen  him- 
felf  and  draw  up  the  inltrudions  of  hiicommiflioiiers.  If 
he  gives  up  the  talk  to  the  hand  which   has  traced  the 

.  manifefto  of  the  1 6th  January,  he  imprudently  riflcs'the 
ihoft  important  iritercfts  of  his  country.  The  republic, 
after  having  forced  all  open  enmities  to  fall  at  her  feet, 
and  all  fraudulent  neutralities  to  make  reparation,  cannot 
facrifice  its  reputation  nor  its  treafures,  when  (he  is  to 
treat  upon  a  ftate  of  tilings  which  bears  every  charader 
of  hoftility. 

On  our  fide,  let  us  forget  the  wrongs  of  an  adminif- 
tration,  the  chief  of  which  had  more  wcaknefs  than  ma- 
levolence :  Our  fucceffes  have  avenged  us  fufficiently 
on  our  hidden  enemies  and  coward  friends.  Let  us  make 
the  facrifice  of  our  refentments,  however  juft  they  may 
be,  to  our  evident  interefts.  The  prefent  crifis,  check- 
ed in  time,  will  have  a  falutary  effeft  :  If  prolonged, 
with  the  circumftances  which  have  accompanied  it  hi- 
therto, it  would  perpetuate  painful  recolle  Slions,  and 
would  perhaps  become  the  germ  of  a  national  hsftrcd, 
which  would  not  have  any  of  thofe  real  or  imaginary  ad- 


va 
At 

h( 
fii 
tl 
tl 
u 
f< 

V 

6< 


/ 


^, — «(«»-wfj»^?{h^ 


'¥ 


T     % 


I    31    3 

vantages  which  make  thofe  hatreds  fometimes  to  be  confiw^ 
dered  as  a  political  engine.  ,    ^     ^ 

The  fentiments  I  profefs  were  always  thofe  of  my 
heart ;  they  were  the  bafis  of  my  conduft  while  I  re- 
fidcd  in  the  United  States.  I  am  perfedly  convinced, 
that  they  will  find  their  true  value  when  they  (hall  reach 
there,  and  will  contribute  to  diflipate  prejudices  which 
unfortunate  circumftances,  or  inimical  arts  may  have 
fcattered  and  fomented,  with  refped  to  me,  with  men 
who  teftified  for  me  an  etteem,  which  \  Ihall  alway^ 
confider  it  anhonor  to  deferv?. 

FruSlidorf  4/A  Tear, 


I 


£  R  R  J  T  J, 

f»ge  6tb,  firft  note,    for  Pichtring  read  Pinehney, 


.A 


